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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


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]2.2 


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lltt    ^ 

i^    illilO 


1.4 


1.6 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


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^ 


»p^iwi'^iif '«!Pi.iiii;i^.^.f  ' 


-^J^ 


Mi 


CIHM/iCMH 
Microfiche 


CiHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microroproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Si 


Tachnical  and  kUbliugraphic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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Couverture  endommag^e 


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Pages  endommag^es 


D 
D 


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D 
-0 


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Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicul6es 

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n 


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D 


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□ 


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Encre  da  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


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Ce  document  est  film^  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X 


18X 


22X 


26X 


30X 


rr       n     X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


2riX 


12X 


mm^tmm 


^ 


ils 
fu 

difier 
ine 

age 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

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filmage. 


Original  copies  in  primed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
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sion,  or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
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or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverti  re  en 
papier  est  imprim^e  sont  filrn^s  en  commengant 
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plat,  selon  le  cas.  Touc  les  autres  exemplairos 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
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empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  et.>,,\  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  s&lon  le 
ca3:  le  symbole  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
syr.ibole  V  signifie  "f\fl". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  T!iose  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  tha  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film^s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsqu*)  le  document  est  tro[j  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  filmd  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'im&ges  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mSthode. 


irrata 
to 


pelure, 
n  d 


n 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

v 


Pi 


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'■-If!;!.' 


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m 


I^istorioal  •  ^acts 


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OF    THB 


'KJF271835 


i 


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X>    YO 


NIAOABA  FALLS.  N.  Y.: 
Journal  Frint. 


■^tjU- 


V^  ^3, 


issr 


la 


K-' 


i 


preface. 

The  Falls  of  Niagara  are  ampoR  tlw 
most  wonderful  woriw  of  nature,  and 
trince  thei»  first  diseowry  by  Father 
Hennepin  in  1678,  rich  and  pot»r,  high 
ftud  low,  king*  and  plobiauB,  have  done 
homage  to  this  wonder  of  wonders.  All 
nations  of  the  world  have  furnished 
their  quota  of  tourists  to  this  eonter  of 
•ttrnctioB.  Consequently  n  -ny  stirring 
events  have  taken  place  in  this  vicinity, 
which  prove  the  old  adage  that  "  Truth 
is  stranger  than  fiction."  The  Niagara 
Frontier  is  rich  in  historical  facts,  many 
battles  having  been  fought  near  the 
Iwundary  line  in  the  early  days.  The 
writer,  who  has  lived  within  the  roar  of 
the  iuiigbty  Cataract  for  o.ore  than  half 
11  century,  is  well  acquaiiised  with  some 
of  the  incidents  herein  narrated,  and 
the  facts  contained  in  thte  book  have 
been  secured  from  the  most  authentic 
Bouroes.  The  book  will  be  found  very 
valuable  to  aH  intwested  in  our  Frontier 
History,  and  will  supply  a  want  long 
felt  by  the  traveling  publie. 


r 


nai 


tite 

and 

tttlier 

liigb 

douo 

Al) 

islietl 

ter  of 

irring^ 

siuity, 

Trntb 

iagara 

mauy 

ir  til* 

The 

roar  of 

II  half 

I  Bume 

1,  uud 

c  have 

hentio 

1  very 

rentier 

t  long 


The  rtia^ara  River. 


This  piclnresque  river  eztenda  from 
Lake  Eric  to  Lake  Ontario,  a  distance 
of  tbirty-xix  mileH,  and  tbrough  it  pa»- 
kjes  all  the  waters  of  the  jGrreat  lakes  of 
the  west,  includinar  Lakes  Superior, 
MiobiKAD,  Hnron,  St.  Clair  and  Erie, 
forming  the  largest  and  finest  body  of 
fresh  water  in  the  world.  It  has  n  fall 
from  Lake  Erie  to  the  Falls  of  68  feet 
on  the  American  and  78  on  the  Canadian 
Bide.  The  An^erioan  fall  is  160  feet 
high  and  the  Canadian  or  horse-rJioe 
fall  is  150  feet  in  heiRbt.  From  the 
base  of  the  falls  to  Lewistun,  a  dis'fanoe 
of  seven  miles,  there  is  a  fall  of  10* 
feet:  and  from  Lewiston  to  the  month 
of  the  river  at  Ijoke  Ontario,  a  dktanco 
of  seven  miles  more,  there  is  a  fdl  ol  two 
feet,  making  a  ifall  of  334  feet  from  lake 
to  lake. 

This  river  is  dotted  with  nnmerons 
beantiful  inlands,  thirty  mx  in  all,  the 
largest  of  which  is  Grand  Iriand  con- 
taining almnt  eleven  thoasand  acres  of 
land.  Bnt  the  one  which  is  of  the  most 
interest  to  the  'wnrist  is  Gtoat  Island, 
which  divides  tbe  American  from  the 
Canadian  x.r  hcrae-sboe  fall,  and  is  now 
inolnded  in  the  State  Beservation. 

As  tue  river  is  the  dividing  line  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Canada, 
many  stirring  scenes  have  taken  place 
near  it«  shores.  Namerous  and  bloody 
battJes  have  been  foaght  within  its 
vicinity.  For  more  than  a  hnudrei) 
years  there  was  war  between  France  and 
England,  and  the  contest  did  nut  cease 


?t: 


until  17B3,  when  French  rule  in  North 
AmeriOH  was  wiped  out.  80  that  from 
the  earliest  daya  of  the  rnle  of  the 
American  aborigines  to  the  close  of  onr 
own  war  of  181*2,  its  borders  have  been 
the  BCf  aes  of  many  conflicts  and  of  deeds 
ol  heroism  and  valor. 


The  G"f«n. 


Five  miles  above  the  falls,  naar  the 
month  of  Cayuga  Creek,  is  a  village 
called  LaBalle,  so  named  after  Laballe, 
who,  in  company  witli  father  Hennepin, 
built  the  first  boat  at  this  place  that 
ever  sailed  on  the  great  lakes.  The 
boat  was  called  the  Griffin  and  was 
about  sixty  tons  burden.  It  was  early 
in  the  year  167B  that  the  work  of  build- 
ing this  vessel  began  under  great  dif- 
tlnulties.  'Iha  savages  hovtjred  around 
the  ship  builders,  and  entered  the  camp 
with  a  lack  of  ceremony  rather  alarm- 
ing. I'hey  refused  to  sell  their  corn, 
ana  p'otted  to  burn  the  vessel  on  the 
stocks.  Huffering  from  cold,  and  often 
from  hiiii<.^or,  fearing  always  a  hostile 
descent  of  the  savages,  the  men  became 
discontented,  and  it  required  Father 
Hennepin's  utmost  endeavors  to  allay 
their  fears.  Meanwhile  LaSalle  was  at 
Frontenac,  whither  he  had  returned 
after  driving  the  rt/st  bolt  of  the  brig- 
sntine,  endeavoring  to  counteract  the 
efforts  of  his  enemies  who  were  spread- 
in"  reports  that  he  was  about  tt>  engage 
in  an  extremely  dangerous  undertaking, 
enormously  expensive  and  yieldiug  but 
little  hope  of  his  return.  Their  rumors 
80  alarmed  his  creditors  in  Queb.3c  and 


- 


w 


>rth 
rom 
the 
onr 
wen 

BOtlS 


the 
llHfj;e 
>ulle, 
epiu. 

that 

The 

was 
early 
mild- 

dif. 
oiind 
samp  x 
larm- 
oorn, 
1  the 
often 
;)Htile 
came 
athor 
allay 
as  at 
irned 
brig- 
t  the 
read- 
igage 
king. 
f  but 
imors 
c  and 


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iM 


*  1 


Montreal  that  tkey  aeized  nixxi  hit 
«H(!OtH  there  aud  Hold  thera  nnt  at  great 
losH  U>  him.  The  delay  which  would  be 
nooeDaary  to  rectify  this  would  prevent 
tlie  BUCoetM  of  his  expedition,  for  thia 
year  at  leant,  ao  he  submitted  patiently 
to  his  misfortnaes. 

At  liwt  the  ship  was  ready  and  his 
other  preparations  were  complete.  On 
the  seventh  da^  of  August,  1679,  the 
wils  of  the  Oriffiu  were  spread  to  the 
winds  of  Lake  Eri«!,  and  making  fear- 
lessly for  the  midnt  of  the  great  fresh 
water  sea,  thev  descried,  on  the  third 
day  the  iskuids  in  the  western  «nd.  A 
storm  beset  them  in  Huron,  and  with 
the  usual  bitterness  of  the  followers  of 
great  explorers,  many  of  his  mep  com- 
plained of  the  dangers  into  which  thtiy 
had  been  led.  They  escaped  from  the 
«torm.  however,  but  only  to  meet  with 
HOW  difficulties.  Their  first  object  was 
to  make  a  favorable  impression  upon 
ihe  Indians,  whose  friendship  was  so 
ub'tessarv  to  their  success ;  but  this  taA. 
was  harder  than  they  had  antic  oated. 
While  the  natives  received  ami  snter- 
tained  LaSalle  with  great  civility  and 
looked  in  wonder  at  tne  ^eat  wooden 
canoe,  their  show  of  friendship  was 
more  politic  than  sincere,  and  produced 
no  effect  upon  their  future  conduct. 
Nor  was  this  the  only  disadvantage 
under  which  they  labored.  Mtteen 
men  had  been  sent  forward  to  collect 
provisioua,  but  had  been  tamp- 
ered with,  and  had  squandered 
A  part  of  the  merchandise 
with  which  they  had  been  provided  for 
trading.  However,  hoping  that  some 
would  prove  faithful  to  their  trust,  a 
beliuf  which  later  events  jostiQed,  they 
eoutiuued  on  their  course. 


'•f 


^r 


6. 


On  his  way  aoroaa  the  lakes,  LftSnlle 
marked  Detroit  as  a  suilaMe  plaoe  for 
a  colony,  {javo  name  to  Luke  Ht.  Clair, 
planted  a  trailing  bouse  at  Mackinaw, 
and  finally  oast  anchor  ni  Green  Bay. 
Here,  to  retrieve  his  f'jrtane,  he  ool< 
leoted  a  rich  cargo  of  fnrs,  and  sent 
back  his  brig  to  carry  them  lo  Niagara. 
But  unfortunately,  t>je  brig,  with  the 
cargo,  was  lost  on  lier  way  down  the 
lakes,  and  n<)  reliable  ioformatioB  WM 
ever  obtained  of  bar  fate.  'i'  ;?', 


Th<?  old  gtone  G^imney. 


0»  the  American  side  of  the  river, 
about  one  aud  a  halt  miloH  above  the 
falls,  there  in  still  standing  an  old  chim- 
ney as  a  relic  of  scenes  of  strife  in 
days  tliii*  ire  past  and  gone.  This 
chimney  stands  on  land  now  owned  by 
the  Oataraot  Oonstructiou  Oompauy  and 
within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  |X)wer 
honsti  of  the  great  tunnel.  We  nnder- 
staud  they  intend  to  preserve  it.  It  was 
bnilt  by  the  French  in  1750.  And  close 
by  are  still  marks  of  old  Fort  Bchlosser, 
wnich  was  then  called  Fort  DnPortage. 
All  of  which  was  destroyed  by  fire  in 
1759,  the  Freach  making  their  eeoape 
into  Canada  when  being  threatened 
with  an  attack  by  the  British  under  air 
Wm.  Johnson  who  hpu  jni.i  captured 
Fort  Niagara.  But  this  chimney  was 
BO  sabstantially  coustraoted  that  it 
passecl  throogh  the  fire  uuliarraod. 
Boon  after  this  the  Ibrt  and  barracks 
were  rebuilt  by  the  English  troops 
under  command  ol  Crptain  Joseph 
Bohlosser,  a  Grermau  who  served  io  the 


inllo 

for 

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naw, 

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out- 

(:'*, 

sent 

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7. 


British  army  and  was  afterwards  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  oolouol,  and  died 
in  thu  Fort.  Au  oak  slab  on  which  his 
name  was  out  was  standi  ug  \,t  his  grave 
just  above  the  fort  aa  late  an  thu  year 
1808.  On  the  wost  side  of  the  aforesaid 
chimney  are  still  standing  some  of  the 
survlviii  :  trees  of  the  first  apple 
orohitnl  net  oat  in  this  region,  and  as 
early  aa  17U0  it  was  described  as  being  a 
well  fenced  orchard,  containing  1200 
trees,  only  a  fe\r  of  which  are  now  re- 
maining. The  building  which  was 
erected  V»y  the  English  to  the  old  chim- 
ney was  afterwardH  used  as  a  dwelling 
house  by  dilTorent  porsons,  aatong  whom 
w  as  the  late  Judge  Porter,  who  occu- 
pied it  in  the  years  of  1806,  7-8,  when  he 
removed  to  the  Porter  homestead  on 
Bufifalo  street.  This  building  was 
afterwards  converted  into  a  tavern  for 
the  aoooaimodution  of  visitors  to  the 
Falls  and  travelers  en  route  to  the  west, 
and  was  so  occupied  when  again  destroy- 
ed in  1813  by  the  British  who  made  a 
raid  on  this  side  of  the  river.  Some  of 
the  inmates  made  their  escaiw  by  biding 
in  a  deep  ditch  running  through  a  large 
meadow  on  the  east  side  of  the  house, 
and  others,  thinking  >to  make  their 
escape  by  way  of  the  orchard  on  the 
west  side,  were  met  by  the  Indians,  who 
lay  in  ambush,  and  were  either  killed  or 
taJcen  prisoner. 

Afterwards  anothe**  building  was  put 
to  the  old  chimney  which  was  used  for 
a  farm  house  for  many  years,  in  which 
the  writer  had  the  pleasure  of  eatiiig 
some  good  meals  that  were  cooked  in 
the  flre  p^aoe  of  the  '•  Old  Stone  Chim- 
ney," which  has  withstood  the  storms  of 
nearly  150  years  and  passed  through  8 
fiery  ordeal  at  three  different  times. 


M 


Ml 


]  n 


The  Hon.  T.  V.  Welch,  who  has 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  cur  frontier 
history,  has  composed  the  following 
verses: 

.  Boalde  KlasKra's  lovely  atream 

An  old  stx>ne  ohJinney  sfMsdri 
In  winter's  blaks  acA  tiuiAmdr'H  beam. 

Above  the  riveraands ;  ■     "  ./ 

Oft  on  the  hearth  In  cbltdhood's  day, 

A  grlowlng  Are  was  mode. 
And  In  the  summer  grniy, 

'Wound  the  old  stone  chimney  played. 

CHORlJB^— 

Touch  not  the  old  ston  j  chlmiioy; 

Our  irraudslre'a  long  Ago, 
Their  youthful  bride  s  l  ^slde  that  hearth, 

Iioved  in  the  cheeriul  glo^r ; 
Touch  not  the  old  stone  oUmney, 

Whore  the  red  man  used  to  dwell. 
Where  the  pioneer  aad  hb  swi*  .iiiei>rt  dear. 

They  sleep,  they  steep,  so  wdl 

The  flre-IiKht  f  eJl,  on  the  cMldrca  there. 

And  you*!'  Jiroamt  In .  ,  blase; 
And  gentle  wives,  and  daughters  fair. 

Sweethearts  of  other  days; 
Oft.  since  th>>t  d«y,  has  love  heW  swi  ^', 

And  plighted  hearte  and  bandf 
Bvs'de  Nlpgara's  winding  way. 

Where  the  old  stone  obimney  stands. 

Chc.TO. 


Lont*  aiay  tbe  old  Ft  one  chimney  stand 

Upon  Niagara's  fiiore; 
Tbe  rions  of  France,  aad  Britain's  baa,\ 

They  battle  thore  no  more; 
The  pioneer  and  sweetheart's  dear. 

Are  sleeping  on  the  hli.% 
Where  lone  tbe  old  stone  obimue)  <ltan4«. 

In  tiio  bvenlug  gray  and  st'U. 

Ch 


HWi 


has 

lutier 
)wing 


th. 


•t  dear. 


re. 


!HC?1U8. 


The  Campaign   of  1759. 

It  is  not  the  intention  to  give  a  com- 
plete history  of  the  French  and  English 
war,  but  simpl.v  so  much  of  it  as  is  of 
local  interest  and  some  of  the  results. 
The  oampaigu  of  1759  had  for  its  object 
the  entire  reduction  of  Canada.  After 
the  disaattjr  ol  Ticonderoga,  the  chief 
command  of  the  British  forces  was 
given  to  Gen.  Amherst.  Tkear.'ny  was 
divided  into  three  parts,  exhibiting  the 
following  ordor:  The  first  division, 
under  Wolf,  was  to  make  a  direct  attempt 
upon  Quebec.  The  second,  umlor 
Amherst,  was  ordsred  to  take  Tioonder- 
oga  and  Crown  Point,  and  then  proceed 
northerly;  and  the  third,  under  (ien. 
Prideaux,  consisting  of  nroviiicials  and 
Indians,  was  to  reduc^  Niagara,  then  to 
go  down  the  Ht.  Lawrence,  and,  jointly 
with  tbe  second  detachment,  attack 
Montreal  Thus  the  several  detach- 
ments were  to  enter  Canada  by  different 
routes,  but  worealldestiued,  eventunlly, 
to  meet  before  Quebec,  and  it  viis 
against  that  keystone  of  the  arch,  which 
sustained  the  French  power  in  America, 
that  that  the  grand  final  effort  was  to  be 
made. 

Prideaux  besieged  Niagara  on  the  Ist 
of  July.  He  was  killed  on  the  15th  by 
bue  bursting  of  a  '3Jl-ix>und  brass  aiortar 
and  thj  command  devoUed  upon  Sir. 
William  Johnson.  The  French  and 
Indians,  numbering  about  1200,  came  to 
the  relief  of  the  garrison  and  gave  battle 
to  the  English,  but  the  Indians  in  their 
alliance  deserted  them  in  the  heat  of  the 
eugagfcment,  and  victory  was  declared 
in  favor  of  the  English.  On  the  25th  of 
July  the  garrison  consisting  of  COO  men, 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  British,  who 


If;  ,,- 


M: 


now  poaaeiHed  tbis  impo/taut  post,  bar- 
ring ftU  oomraunioatious  between  tho 
northern  and  southern  poaaeseionB  of 
the  French.  We  can  not  give  a  narro- 
tive  of  all  ©f  the  different  battles  in  this 
oampaigu,  which  were  truly  important, 
but  simply  say  that  this  war  did  not 
cease  until  the  treaty  of  peace  was 
declared  in  Paris  on  February  10th, 
1703,  when  England  got  undisputed 
possession  (except  bv  the  Indians;  ot 
the  whole  continent,  from  the  shores  of 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  frozen  north, 
and  from  ocean  to  ocean. 


♦- 


Indian    ^tpat&gy. 


in  1763,  Ponfciao.  a  BagaoiouEi  Ottawa 
chief,  and  a  former  ally  of  the  Fieuoh, 
thought  that  if  the  English  oould 
bo  subdued  before  they  could  gain 
a  firm  foot-hold,  th:  Indians  would 
again  be  lords  of  the  forest.  For  this 
purpose  he  secretly  effected  a  con- 
federation  of  several  of  the  north-west- 
ern tribes  of  Indiauu,  and  on  the  7th  of 
July  nine  of  the  British  forts  were 
captured  by  them,  which  were  all  of  the 
forte  west  of  Oswego,  excepting  Fort 
Nit^Ara,  Fort  P'tt  and  Detroit.  Pon- 
tiao  had  arrangtsd  the  following  plans  of 
strategy:  At  Manmee,  the  command- 
ing olnoor  was  lured  forth  by  piteous 
entreaties  of  a  squaw,  who  feigned  to 
pl^d  for  a  wounded  man  dying  without 
vxe  fort,  and  he  was  immediately  shot 
by  Indians  in  ambubh. 

At  Mackinaw,  a  more  important  post, 
the  ludiaiDS  had  gathered  by  hundreds. 
Thoy  beg»D  among  themselves  a  spirited 


li* 


bar- 
the 

8    Uf 

larro- 

this 

tunt, 

noi 

WllS 

lOth, 

utt'ti 

es  of 
urtb. 


ittawa 
[•e'lob, 
oould 

gain 
would 
r  tills 
i  con- 
-west- 
7th  of 

were 
of  the 

Foft 

Pon- 
ans  of 
tnnud- 
iteons 
ed  to 
ithout 
'  shoi 

;  poet, 
dredB. 
>irit«d 


^me  of  ball.  One  of  the  two  partitw 
who  played,  drove  the  other,  n»  if  by 
accident,  towards  the  palisades  which 
incloBed  the  grounds  of  the  fort.  They 
came  on,  shouting  and  sptxrting,  an-', 
the  soldiers  went  forth  to  view  the 
game.  At  length  the  ball  was  thrown 
over  the  pickets,  and  Uie  Indians  jumped 
after  it  within  the  inclosure.  Then 
began  the  butchery.  The  soldiers  of 
the  garrisoii,  appalled  and  unprepared, 
could  make  no  resistance.  The  oinn- 
mander.  Major  Henry,  was  writing 
within  his  room.  He  heard  tlo  Indian 
war-cry,  and  the  shrieks  of  the  mnrder- 
ed;  and  from  ihe  window  he  saw  four- 
hundred  savages  cutting  down  with 
their  tomahawks,  his  dearest  friends. 
He  saw  them  soal|>ed  while  yet  in  their 
death  struggles,  their  necks  beneath 
their  feet,  or  their  heads  held  between 
the  knjies  of  the  seal|>ers.  They  had 
already  taken  the  fort,  but  Henry  him- 
self, through  some  strange  pertls,  os- 
oaped  tf>  relate  the  horrible  sci^ue. 

Pontiac  ohome  to  command  in  j^erson 
at  Detroit,  that  post  being  regiuded  as, 
the  key  to  the  upper  country.  On  the 
fith,  the  Indians,  to  the  number  of  six 
hundred,  had  coJlected  in  the  woods 
around  the  fort.  In  the  evening  a  squaw 
who  had  been  kindly  treated,  betrayed 
to  Major  Giadwyn,  the  commander/the 
desigHB  of  the  savages.  ';)n  the  7th, 
Poutiiio,  with  a  party  of  his  chiefs, 
presented  themselves ,  as  in  peace,  de- 
siring to  bold  a  council  with  the  oflicei-s 
within  the  fort.  They  were  admitted, 
but  to  their  surprise,  they  were  im- 
mediately surrounded  by  the  garrison, 
fully  armed.  Major  Giadwyn  appro.wsh- 
ed  Pontiao,andliftiiighiHblanketfouad  a 
short  rifle  concealed  beneath  it.  Thus 
unexpectedly  discovered,  Pontiao  him- 


nelf  waa  disconcerted.  Tbe  Indians 
from  witbout  were  not  let  in;  but  tbe 
chief  esoHped,  or    was   suffered   to    go 

He  then  beseiged  the  fort,  holding  the 
garrison  conttued  for  mauy  tnoiiths,  and 
cutting  off  supplies  and  reinforcements. 
At  length  bis  allies  grew  weary  of  war. 
and  pewe  was  declared .  Pontiao  died 
three  years  after waids. 


«- 


DeuiVs  gole  TWassaore. 


The  Devil's  Hole  is  a  picturesque 
place  on  tbe  American  side,  about  a 
mile  below  the  Whirlpool.  It  is  hero 
where  on  the  14th  of  September,  1763, 
the  Seneca  Indians,  smarting  under 
English  rule,  lay  in  ambush  for  a 
British  supply  train  on  its  way  from 
Schlosser  to  Lewiston.  And  as  the 
doomed  company  carelessly  filed 
along  the  brink  of  the  chasm,  a  mur- 
derous  volley  wa.i  fired 'by  the  bidden 
savages,  who  then  sprang  forth  thirty  or 
forty  to  one  of  the  survivors,  and  but- 
chered thiem  with  tomahawk  and  scalp- 
ing knife.  Oraz^-xi  by  the  din  of  fire- 
arms  and  the  yells  of  tbe  savages,  part 
of  the  teams  wont  off  the  rooky  wall; 
and  even  the  men  in  some  cases,  rather 
than  ba  hacked  to  pieces  on  the  spot  or 
ro8st«?d  at  the  st-ake,  flung  themselves 
from  the  cliff.  Among  the  latter  was  a 
drummer  boy  named  Mathews,  who  fell 
into  a  tree  top,  from  which  he  desciendod 
vnthont  mortal  injuries.  It  is  said  that 
<mly  three  survived  this  savage  onset. 
John  Hteatiman,  who  commanded  the 
supply  trivin,  seeing  the  fatal  snare  at 


■s;iW-±i'W^,._ , .  dKM  -.Jii, 


the  Srst  fire  of  the  Indiana,  sparred  his 
horHC  through  the  leaden  hail  and  made 
hie  eaoupe,  reaching  Fort  Sobloaser  in 
safety.  A  wounded  soldier  concealed 
himself  in  the  deuae  ever^eeu  bushes 
and  thus  esoai^d  the  knife  and  the 
hatchet;  and  the  drummer  boy  who  was 
49a ved  by  lodg^ing  in  the  *~ee  top. 
Thene  were  the  only  ones  left  to  tell  the 
8ad  taiu. 

The  firing  had  been  heard  by  the 
guard  posted  at  the  lower  lauding,  and 
suspecting  the  state  of  the  case  they 
hastened  up  the  Portage  Boad.  The 
savages  had  time  to  complete  the  de- 
etructioD  of  the  train  and  its  escort  and 
ensconce  themaelves  again  in  the  bash- 
es, with  rides  reloaded  and  tomahawks 
all  ready,  before  the  roinforcomenta 
reached  the  spol;,  when  the  massacre 
was  renewed.  A  shower  of  bullets  from 
the  thicket  tore  through  the  close  lines 
of  the  detachment,  filing  more  than 
one  half  of  the  trcxips;  agam  the  thirsty 
savages,  sallying  from  their  cover, 
swarmed  around  their  prey,  and  the 
scalping  knivetj  yet  dripping  with  blood 
Irora  their  latest  use,  were  bathed  anew 
in  human  gore.  Only  eight  men  ea- 
eaped  with  their  lives,  who  bore  the 
horrible  tidings  to  Fort  Niagara.  The 
number  of  killed  is  variously  estimated 
as  being  from  80  to  250. 

The  little  rivulet  falling  into  the  glen, 
«nd  called  Bloody  ..Ban,  first  became 
snoh  on  that  dreadful  day  when  its 
waters  were  crimsoned  by  the  butchery 
ajwu  its  banks.  The  passerby  now 
looks  from  hia  carriage  down  the  gloomy 
pit,  which  yawns  close  beside  the  road- 
way, into  the  bristling  treetopa  that  hide 
its  lowest  doi>th8,  and  shudder  to  tb^nk 
of  the  situation  of  the  men  who  iudged  it 
boat  to  cast  themselves  into  tnis  deep 


and  mg^red  ohasm.  Yet  one  who  made 
this  choice  long  outlived  every  otiier 
actor  in  this  awfnl  tragedy— the  drum- 
mer Mathews— who  died  in  Queenstun 
at  the  advanced  age  of  90  years. 


*fu8oapora     f^eserDation. 


Aliont  seven  miles  northeast  of  Niagara 
Falls,  is  situated  the  Tuscarora  ludian 
Keservatiou.  History  tells  ns  that  in 
1712  the  Tusoaroras  and  other  Indiana 
from  North  Carolina,  formed,  with  all 
the  subtlety  of  the  savage  character,  a 
plot  for  extenuinatini;  the  entire  white 
population.  Having  liept  their  des?gn 
a  profound  secret  until  the  night  fixed 
for  its  execution,  they  entered  tb3 
houses  of  the  poor  Palatines  of  Gar- 
many  who  had  settled  on  tha  Roanoke 
and  mnrdered  men,  women  and  child- 
ren. A  few  who  escaped  gave  the 
alarm  and  the  remaining  inhabitants, 
collecting  into  camp,  kept  guard  night 
and  day  until  aid  could  be  received 
from  Bouth  Carolina.  That  colony  sent 
to  their  relief  000  militia  and  360  In- 
dians w  let  Barnwell.  Although  a 
wilderness  at  this  time  separated  the 
northern  from  the  southern  settlements, 
Barnwell  penetrated  it,  boldly  at- 
tacked the  Indianu,  killed  300  and  took 
100  prisoners.  Those  who  escaped  fled 
to  the  chief  town  of  the  Tuscaroraa, 
where  they  erected  wooden  breastworks 
for  their  security ;  but  here  Barnwell's 
troops  surrounded  them  and  they  at 
last  sued  for  peace.  Tij«  Tuscaroras 
had  lost  a  thousand  men  in  the  course 
of  this  war  and  they  soon  after  left  their 


16. 


country  and  settled  in  Central  Nevr 
York,  uniting  with  the  Iruquoiu,  mak- 
ing the  sixth  nation  of  that  oonfedorooy. 
Dining  the  struggle  for  American 
indepeudeuoe  part  of  this  tribe  joined 
the  British  forces  and  part  maintained 
a  strict  neutrality.  Such  of  the  Tus- 
caroros  and  Oaeiu.is  as  had  allied  them- 
selves with  the  English  and  fled  before 
the  arrival  of  Sullivan's  army  sought 
refuge  within  the  British  garrisou  at 
Fort  Niagara,  reaoliing  there  via  the 
Oneida  Lake,  Oswego  Lake  and  Iiake 
Ontario.  During  the  early  port  of  the 
following  year  fwirt  of  them  returned  to 
their  hunting-grounds  in  Central  New 
York  and  part  of  them  took  possession 
of  a  mile  square  on  the  mountain  niuge, 
which  was  given  to  them  by  the  Seneoas 
who  owned  the  territory  there.  At  a 
later  period  the  Holland  Land  Co. 
granted  them  t^o  square  miles  aajoin- 
ing  their  possessions  and  in  1808  they 
purchased  of  the  company  an  additional 
trac|i,  making,  in  the  aggregate.  7,620 
acres  now  in  their  pos-wssion.  The 
reservation  li^a  the  appeamuoe  of  auy 
other  agriouitural  neighborhood.  The 
present  population  is  about  460,  few,  if 
auy,  looking  like  the  "red  man  of  the 
forest"  of  whom  we  use  to  road  in  our 
schoolboy  days.  They  have  two 
churches— Presbyterian  and  Bapti8t,and 
the  community  is  a  well  behaved  one 
with  few  exceptions.  The  Indian  chil- 
dren now  icoeive  school  training,  and 
many  of  them  fehow  a  marked  degree  of 
intelligence,  and  an  aptitude  for  learn- 
ii^.  There  is  considerable  musical 
talent  among  these  Indians  and  the  Tus- 
oorora  Band  has  played  in  some  of  the 
principal  cities  of  our  country  in  con- 
nection with  a  show  of  "Indian  Beau- 
ties," among  whom  were  some  Tuscarora 
maideuB. 


16. 


The  War  of  1812. 


The  rcasonB  for  the  war  with  England, 
OH  strttod  by  Mr.  Madimm,  Tresident  of 
the  Uiiited  atiiteH,  iu  an  able  inanifeBto, 
were:  British  excesBes  iu  violati.'iK  the 
American  flag  on  the  great  highway  of 
nations ;  the  imnressinent   of  American 
seamen  ;  harrawiing  American  veaaels  as 
they  were  entering  their  own  harbors  or 
departing   from    them,    and   wantonly 
Bpilling    the    blocid    of    the   citizens  of 
America  within  the  limits  of  her  terri- 
torial jurisdiction;   issuing    orders  by 
which  the  ports  of  the  enemies  of  Great 
Britain  were  blockaded,   and  not  sup- 
porting these  blockades  by  the  adequate 
iipplioation   of    fleets    to    rauder  them 
legal,  atid  enforcing  them  from  the  date 
of   their   proclamation,   iu  con.sequence 
of  which  American  commerce  had  been 
plundered  on  every  sea,   and  her   pro- 
ducts  out   off  from     their    legitimate 
market ;    employing    secret    ageiits  to 
subvert  the  goviTument  and  dismember 
the  Union ;  and  finally  encouraging  the 
Indian    tribes    to    hostility.      Still   the 
American    people    long  cherished  the 
hope  that  a  sense  of  justice  would  induce 
the  British  Ministry  to  bring  to  asneedy 
and  honorable    termination  the  unfor- 
tunate   differences   subsisting   between 
the  two  nations      They  were  unwilling 
to    re.sort    to    the    ultimate    means    of 
redress  until  all  peaceful  measures  had 
been  exhausted,  and,  indeed,  so  tardy 
was  the  government  iu  its  preparation, 
for  war,  that  the  people  in  many  parts 
of  the  country  loudly  complained  "f  its 
want   of   firmness   and    energy.      But 
delay  brought  no  redress.     Injury  was 
fallowed  by  indignity,  until  the  peace- 


^ 


a  Btjeedy 

-. 

le  nnfor- 

betweeu 

inwillinir 

leans    o! 

urea  biid 

so  tardy 

poratioii. 

iny  parts 

«d  of  its 

?y.      Bat 

jury  was 

he  peaoe- 

Grout  I     taiuand'its  dopoiidenoios,  hy 
the  (Jon{f  rasa  of  the  United  States. 


The    Surrender  of  jgull. 


Prerious  to  tlio  declaration  of  war, 
Gen.  Hull,  iu  anticipation  of  that  event, 
bad  been  ap»)ointed  to  the  ouinmand  of 
a  ;arge  and  well  furnished  army, 
intended  for  the  invasion  of  Canada 
from  some  point  near  Detroit.  This 
array  passed  Cincinnati  the  latter  piwt 
of  May,  left  Dayton  on  the  Ist  of  June, 
arrived  on  the  Maumee  Biver  on  the 
30th  and  crossed  the  River  of  Detroit— 
for  the  invasion  of  Canada— on  the  12th 
of  July.  The  expedition  was  attended 
wUh  the  higli  hopes  of  the  people,  the 
omoers  and  the  men.  It  was  opposed 
Ly  no  superior  force,  and  when  in  front 
of  the  enemy  no  aonnd  of  discontent 
was  heard,  nor  any  appearance  of 
cowardice  or  dissatisfaction  seen.  On 
the  contrary  every  man  awaited  the 
battle  In  snii  anticipation  of  victory,  ex- 
peotinjf  %  proud  day  for  his  country  and 
himeelf.  Notwithstanding  all  this  pre- 
paration, notwithstanding  the  superior- 
ity of  the  fyroe,  and  notwithstanding 
these  vivid  anticipations  of  success  and 
ftlory,  the  entire  army  was,  without 
apparent  cause,  surrendered  to  the  de- 
mand of  General  Brook,  on  the  14th  day 
of  August. 

This  event,  so  nnexpectc^d  and  bo  die- 
aatrous,  filled  the  American  people  with 
consternation  and  mortification.    Indig  - 


nation,  grief  and  Hhame  alternately 
filled  the  hearta  of  the  honest  oitizeu 
and  the  patriot  aoldier.  It  waa  a  veil  of 
darknera  drawn  over  the  face  of  the 
ooantry.  .     ,  x, 

Baoh  waB  the  commenoenieut  of  tlie 
war  of  1812,  unfortunate,  diHaBtrouH  and 
melanoholy.  It  was  oortaiuly  no  en- 
couragement to  those  who  soon  after 
oommt-nced  the  oampaiKU  of  the  Niag- 
ara, where  bloody  fielUB,  brave  actions 
and  positive  achievements,  reanimated 
the  hopes  of  the  country,  and  gave  a 
durable  glory  to  the  American  arms. 


%     n<»*<*l    gn^c^emcnt. 


In  July  1812  Winfleld  S<  ft  received 
the  commission  of  Liout<  mt^Oolonel 
in  the  2d  artillery,  (Izard'n  regiment), 
and  arrived  on  the  Niagara  frontier, 
with  companies  of  Tow8t)n  and  Barker. 
He  took  post  at  Black  Rock  to  protect 
the  npvy  yard  there  established. 

Lieutenant  Elliott  of  the  navy  had 
plaimed  an  enterprise  against  two 
armed  brigs,  then  lyinp  at  anchor 
under  the  guns  of  Fort  Erie.  For  this 
purpose  he  applied  on  the  8th  of  August, 
1812,  to  Colonel  Scott  for  assistance  in 
officers  and  men.  Captain  Towson  and 
a  portion  of  his  company  were  dispatch- 
ed to  the  aid  of  Ellictt,  The  attack  was 
snooessful.  On  the  morning  of  the 
ninth,  both  vessels  were  carried  in  the 
most  gallant  manner.  The  "  Adams  " 
was  taken  by  Captain  Elliott  in  person, 
assisted  by  Lieutenant  Isaac  Roach;  and 
the  "  Caledonia  "  b^  the  gallant  Captain 
ToWBor.    In  dropping  down  the  Niag- 


•  ragw^  t,^.'a*i£:*^^i'it/,T^  ^-ji-i^'^. 


1 


p 


19. 


ara  River  the  "AdamH"  botJariio  un- 
niHn»gBble  throuRli  the  ooonrrenoe  of  a 
oolm,  aod  dnfted  into  the  HritiHh  chan- 
nel. Hhe  got  SKfjiuid  ou  Squaw  IsJaud, 
nueotly  under  the  {fans  of  the  enemy's 
liitterieB,  where  it  was  impossible  to 
Kot  her  off.  OapUi:i  Elliott,  therefore, 
having  previously  secured  the  prisoners 
abandoned  her  under  a  heavy  flre  from 
the  British  shore.  Then  ensued  an  in- 
teresting and  exciting  scene,  the  British 
endeavoring  to  retake  the  abandoned 
brig  and  doott  to  prevent  them. 
The  enemy  sent  out  boats,  and  Scott 
resisted  them,  in  which  effort  he  wft» 
Buooessfal.  The  brig  was  recaptured 
and  hold  until  she  was  substquently 
burned  by  order  of  General  Smythe, 
who  had  then  arrived. 

As  for  the  "  Caledonia  "  she  was  pres- 
erved by  the  extraordinary  efforts  of 
Captain  Towson,  and  afUfrwards  did 
good  service  in  the  memorable  and 
glorious  victory  won  on  Lake  Brie,  by 
the  gallant  Perry. 

Although  this  was  not  so  important  an 
engagement  as  the  capture  of  the  Brit- 
ish frigate  Guerriere,   under  command 
of   Captain    Dacres,   by  the  American 
ingato    Constitution,     commaudcd  by 
Captain  HuU,  which  took  p^aoo  off  the 
Grand  Bank  of  Newfoundland,  a  few 
days  after  the    disgraceful    surrender 
of  Detroit,  yet  this  was  one  ol  those  small 
but  honorable  enterprises,  of  which  many 
occurred  during  the  war.  which  should  be 
mentioned  to  the  credit  of  the  actors, 
Bijd  aa  an  example  to  those  who  here- 
after may  have  similiar  duties  to  per- 
form in  defence  of  thoir  country. 


m 


<f  be  gattle  of  QueenutSn 


Beigbte. 


In  the  boffinuiuit  of  October,  1812, 
Maj()r-(}en«ral  Htephen  Van  lU)UB8elaer 
had  Gulleottid  to^fethor,  at  Lewihton, 
about  two  thuiiHand  five  hundred  of  the 
Ni'tv  3fork  Militia.  The  suooeaHfiil  en- 
terprise which  resulted  in  the  capture 
of  Ihe  "Adams"  and  "Uuledonia"  on  the 
9th  of  that  month,  had  given  spoh  an 
apparent  ardor  and  impulse  ti)  these 
trtxips  that  it  was  believed  impossible  to 
restrain  them.  Indeed,  the  troo|>s  de- 
clared they  must  act,  or  ro  home,  an 
alternative  which  imtwsed  upon  the 
General  the  necessity  of  some  active 
movement.  Accordingly,  he  planned 
an  attack  on  Queeuston  Heights.  The 
troops  which  he  bad  at  his  command 
were  the  New  York  militia  and  about 
four  hundred  and  fifty  regulars  under 
the  command  of  Colonels  Fenwick  and 
Chrystie,  who,  with  Major  MuUaney, 
had  arrive  the  night  before  in  detaon- 
ments  from  Port  Niagara  for  the  mt- 
poso  of  joining  in  this  expedition.  The 
militia  were  raw,  inexperienced,  and  un- 
disciplined, circumstauoes  which  caused 
the  brunt  of  the  battle  ultimately  to 
fall  on  the  regnlam,  and  its  final  loss. 

The  plan  was  to  throw  over  the  river 
two  columns  of  troops,  each  about  three 
hundrod  strong.  One  was  commanded 
by  Ooloqol  Solomon  Van  Kensselaer, 
and  the  other  by  Lieutenant-Oolooel 
Ohrystie  The  detachments  of  Fenwick 
and  Mullntiey  w;4re  to  sustain,  in  tht< 
best  way  they  could,  these  oolnmns. 
These  arrangements  were  made  on  the 
l'2th  of  October.    Late  in  the  evening 


■■»'y5"  '1 


ma 


e?4*'!Suiiji«  "'iWif 


1  ..•■'?" 


..>.U.i 


•-'V':-^ 


of  that  day  Ool.  Soott  hod  arriyed  by  a 
Iforeed  march,  partly  by  wr,ter  and 
partly  thrun^b  mud  and  rain,  at  Hohloa- 
iior,  two  miles  above  the  Fails  Kud  nine 
from  Lewiston,  with  a  view  of  joining 
in  the  oontempUtod  attaok.  He  haat- 
euud  to  LewiHton  and  volunteered  hia 
nervioes  to  (General  Van  Renfiselaer. 
They  were  declined  on  aooouut  of  the 
arranKtiments  already  made;  but 
t'ith  normisaion  that  Soott  should 
brin^  bis  reriment  immediately  to 
Lewiston,  and  there  act  as  oiroumstances 
iQiKht  require,  and  opportunities  offer. 
This  itormission  he  at  once  availed  him- 
itoif  of,  and  arrived  at  Ijewiston  with 
ilia  corps  at  four  o'clock  a.  m.  on  the 
13th.  Finding  no  boats  he  placed  hia 
traiu  in  battery  on  the  American  shore 
under  the  immediate  command  of 
CnptainB  Towson  and  B&:  ker.  and  when 
daylight  api>tiared  opened  an  effective 
lire  on  the  enemy. 

In  the  meantime  the  principal  move- 
ment, as  originnlly  planned,  had  gone 
on.  All  the  boats  which  could  be  col- 
lected were  employed  to  transport  the 
oolumuu  of  Chrystio  and  Van  Rensse- 
laer. Unfurtunately  the  l>oat8  were 
insuiBoient  to  take  the  wholo  number  at 
once,  and  the  passage  was  made  by  de- 
tachments. The  boat  in  which  Chrystie 
was  became  disabled,  was  mi»maQaged 
by  the  pilot,  and  finally  carried  out  of 
the  way  by  the  eddies  of  the  river.  He 
made  a  gallant  attempt  to  land  but  waa 
wounded  and  had  to  retmn  to  the 
American  shore  In  the  after  ^t  of 
the  engagement  he  returned  with  re- 
inforcements to  the  troops  in  Canada 
and  shared  the  fate  of  the  day. 

The  main  body  of  the  first  embark- 
ation, under  the  direction  of  Oolonel 
Van  Rensselaer,   wbh  more  ftaocessfal. 


•  I  1 


s 


Two  companies  of  the  13th  Regimen t, 
with  other  small  detachments  of  the 
same  regiment,  were  able  to  land,  and 
were  suoceHsively  reinforced  from  time 
to  time  as  the  few  servioible  boats  to  be 
had  could  transport  them.  They  were 
landed  under  i  severe  fire  of  the  enemy. 
At  this  time  tliu  nnmbers  of  both  con- 
tending parties  were  small.  The 
British  force  was  composed  of  two 
flank  companies  of  the  49th  and  the 
York  militia.  The  Americans  did  not 
number  much  over  one  hundred  com- 
batants. Notwithstanding  the  contin- 
ued cannonade  fro.n  tbe  euemies  bat- 
teries this  small  force  forjaed  =a  the 
bank  and  marched  .jteadily  forward. 

In  a  few  moments  this  f)re  bad  killed 
or  wounded  every  commissioned  officer, 
and  among  these  Colonel  Van  Fenssel- 
aer  biuaself ,  who  received  four  severe 
wounds.  Notwithstanding  this,  he  sus- 
tained himself  long  enough  to  impart 
the  local  information  he  popsessed  to 
other  of3cers,  who  had  m  the  meantime 
come  up.  In  leaving  the  field  his  last 
command  was  that  "all  such  as  could 
move  should  immediately  mount  the 
hill  and  storm  the  batteries."  This  or- 
der was  promptly  obeyed  by  Oaptain 
Wool,  on  whom,  as  then  senior  officer 
of  the  regular  troops,  tire  opmmand  de- 
volved, and  he  was  a.h,o  bieedinp:  from 
his  wounds,  but  distinguished  1.  inself 
with  Captains  0;<ilvie,  Malcolm  and 
Armstrong  and  Llent'^nant  Bauiiolph. 
These  brave  officers  storm  jd  the  heights, 
took  a  battery,  composed  of  an  eighteen. 
poT  nder  and  two  mortars  half  way  up 
the  deol' vity,  and  were  soon  in  possess- 
ion of  the  .  highest  point,  called  the 
'mountain."  By  this  time  the  enemy 
were  beaten,  routed,  and  driven  into  a 
strong  stone  building  near  tlte  wa^Qt'A 


E»sT.JS.P«r»iit«>^Sir:' 


Be*«Ri 


msr. 


ment, 

jf  the 

,  and 

fcime 

to  be 

were 

lemy. 

con- 

The 

two 

the 

uot 

oom- 

Dutin- 

bat- 

a  the 

a. 

killed 
)fflcer, 
Bussel- 
severe 
le  Bus- 
mpart 
led  to 
ID  time 
is  last 
could 
it  the 
liis  or- 
aptain 
officer 
id  db- 
',  from 
imiteU 
and 
lolph. 
sightH, 
liteen- 
'ay  up 

)BBf88- 

A  the 
snemy 
into  a 
afer'B 


23. 


Elated  with  their  succesB,  the  Ameri- 
oaus  had  fallen  into  disorder,  when 
they  again  beheld  300  of  their  foe,  ad- 
vancing under  the  intrepid  Brook,  the 
lieutenant-governor  of  Upper  Canada, 
who  had  just  returned  from  the  capture 
of  Hull  to  defend  the  Niagara  frontier. 
An  oillcer  raised  a  white  flag  in  token 
to  Burrander:  Wool  indignantly  pulled 
it  dowu.  The  British  now  drove  the 
Ameri'^its  to  the  tdge  of  the  incline. 
One  BT.ldier  was  about  tt)  descend;  Wool 
ordered  him  to  be  shot;  but.  as  the 
musket  was  leveled,  he  returned.  T>>'aB 
prohibiting  either  surrender  or  retreat, 
and  being  ably  seconded  by  his  officers, 
he  rallied  and  led  on  his  troops  to  the 
attack.  The  British  in  their  turn  gave 
way,  and  retreated  down  the  hill. 
Brock,  while  attempting  to  rally  them 
in  the  midst  oT  a  galliug  fire,  was  mor- 
tally wounded.  His  party  no  longer 
attempted  resistance,  but  ned  in  disor- 
der.- 

Exactly  at  this  period  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Scott  arrived  on  the  heights 
He  had  been  permitted,  as  a  volunteer, 
to  cross  the  rivei  with  his  adjutant, 
Boaoh.  audaasume  the  command  of  th': 
whole  body  engaged.  On  the  Canada 
side  he  unexpectedly  found  Brigadier- 
General  William  Wadsworth  of  the 
New  York  militia,  who  had  crossed  with- 
out, orders  Scott  therefore  proposed 
to  limit  his  command  to  the  regulars, 
but  the  generous  and  patriotic  Wads- 
worth  would  not  consent.  Scott  then 
assumed  command,  and  throughout  the 
movements  that  ensued  General  Wads- 
worth  dured  every  danger  in  iMding  the 
views  of  the  commander.  Reinforce- 
ments having  arrived  during  the  previ- 
ous engagements,  the  troops  under 
Soott  now  amounted  m  all  to  three  huu- 


-24. 


dred  and  fifty  regulars,  and  two  h  un- 
dred  and  fifty  voluuteHrB.  undei"  the  di- 
rection of  General  Wadsworth  and  Col- 
ouol  Strauahan.  These  Scott,  upon  the 
snggestion  of  Oapt«in  Tatton,  drew  up 
in  a  strong  and  commanding  sitnatipn . 
The  object  iu  vi  sw  was  not  only  to  re- 
ceive the  enemy,  but  to  cover  the  ferry 
in  expecbvtion  of  being  roinforced  by 
the  whole  of  tho  militia  at  Lewiston. 

The  interval  of  rest  was  short.  The 
first  gnu  which  broke  the  silence  of  the 
morning  had  also  aroused  the  British 
garrison  of  Fort  George  eight  miles  be- 
low. Their  troops  were  instantly  put  in 
motion.  Tho  Indians,  wlio  had  been 
concentrated  in  the  vicinity,  sprang  in- 
to  activity.  In  a  short  time  five  hun- 
dred of  these  forost  war/iors  joined  the 
British  "light  companies  previously  en- 
gaged. A  new  battle  ensued.  The 
Americans  received  the  enemy  witli 
firmuoss  and  drove  them  back  in  total 
route. 

The  proteoticn  of  the  Terry  being  the 
main  purpose,  and  as  the  Indians  in  the 
wood  presented  no  opportunity  for  a 
charge,  the  Americans  resumed  their 
original  position,  iid  there  maintained 
it  valiantly  against  several  successive  at- 
tacks, until  the  British  reinforcements 
arrived  from  Fort  George.  In  one  of 
these  affairs  tho  advanced  pickets  of  the 
American  lines  were  suddenly  driven  in 
by  superior  numbers,  and  a  general 
massacre  seemed  inevitable.  At  this 
oi-itioal  moment  Scott,  who  had  been  in 
the  rear  showing  how  to  unspike  a  cap- 
tured ci/nnon,  hastily  returned  und  by 
great  exertions  brought  hi»  Hue,  then 
in  the  act  of  giving  away,  to  the  right- 
about. His  brilliant  example  produced 
a  sudden  revulsion  of  feeling.  They 
caught  the  spirit  of  their  leader.     Witib 


flB"^" 


hnn- 
the  di- 
nd  Col- 
pun  the 
jrew  np 
timtion . 
ly  to  re- 
he  ferry 
•ced  by 
iton. 
t.     The 
e  of  the 
British 
niles  be- 
y  put  in 
id  been 
irftus  in- 
ive  hun- 
ined  the 
)usly  en- 
d.      The 
ny    with 
c  m  total 

leing  the 
18  in  the 
ty  for  a 
ed  their 
liutaiued 
SHsive  at- 
poementa 
n  one  of 
)t3  of  the 
iriven  in 
general 
At  this 
I  been  in 
ke  a  oap- 
ttnd  by 
iue,  then 
he  right- 
Drodiiced 
.  They 
:.     With 


as. 


an  itnauimous  burst  of  enthueiahiu  the 
line  Luddenly  rallied  from  rieht  to  left, 
threw  itself  forward  upon  the  enemy, 
putting  him  to  a  precipitate  flight,  and 
strewing  the  ground  with  the  dead  and 
wounded,  in  this  manner  snoeessive 
oufliotB  were  kept  np  till  the  main  body 
of  the  British  reinforcements  arrived.' 
This  was  a  column  eight  hundred  and 
fifty  strong  under  the  command  of 
Mpjor-Qeweral  Sheaffe,  who  was  after- 
wards made  a  baronet  for  the  events  of 
the  day. 

During  the  action,  which  had  now  so 
long  proceeded  with  credit  to  the 
American  troops,  the  Militia  who  had 
crossed  the  river  and  were  engaged 
with  Wadsworth  and  Strsnahan,  h.-xd 
fought  well,  and  shared  both  the  dai  - 
gers  and  the  successes  of  the  day.  Ai< 
this  crisis,  however,  when  the  result  of 
the  battle  depended  entirely  npon  re- 
inforcements, intormatiou  was  brought 
to  Bcott  and  thono  engaged  that  the 
Militia  on  the  American  shore  refused  to 
cross.  General  Van  Rensselaer  rode 
among  them  in  all  directions,  urging 
the  men  by  every  consideration  to  pass, 
but  in  vain.  Not  a  regiment  nor  a 
company  could  be  induced  to 
move.  A  panic  had  seized  them;  but 
even  hod  it  been  otherwise  they  could 
not  have  crossed,  as  but  a  few  crippled 
boats  remained  to  tak  them  over.  The 
total  number  of  boats  in  the  beginning 
was  only  thirteen.  Severe  was  the 
moitiiioation  of  this  disaster  to  the  brave 
men  engaged,  and  mournful  the  result. 

At  this  period  the  British  was  estim- 
ated, regulars,  militia  and  Indians,  at 
not  letm  than  thirteen  hundred,  while 
the  Americans  were  reduced  to  less  than 
three  hundred-  Uetreat  waa  as  hope- 
less as  suooess;  for  there  were  no  boats 


I' 


on  tbo  Canadian  shore,  and  the  miliiia 
on  the  other  Bide  refused  to  give  theni 
aid-  Scott  took  his  position  on  the 
grounds  they  then  occupied,  resolved  to 
abide  the  shook,  and  think  of  surrender 
only  when  battle  was  impossible.  He 
mow  ited  a  k)g  in  front  of  his  much- 
diminished  band.  ' '  The  enemy's  balls, " 
said  he,  "  begin  to  tliin  our  ranks.  His 
numbers  are  overwiiolming.  In>  mom- 
ent the  shook  must  oorae.  We  are  in 
the  Doginuing  of  a  national  war.  HuU's 
surrender  is  to  bo  redeemed.  Let  u» 
then  die  arms  in  hand.  Onr  country 
demands  the  sacrifice.  The  example 
will  not  bo  lost.  The  blood  of  the  slain 
will  make  heroes  of  the  lining.  Those 
who  follow  will  avenge  our  fall  and  their 
country's  wrongs.  Who  dare  to  stand?" 
"  All  1 "  wtte  the  answering'cry.  In  the 
meanwhile  the  British,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Major-Qeneral  Sheaffe.  man- 
oeuvred with  great  caution,  and  even 
hesitation,  conscious  of  the  vijrorouB 
resistance  already  made,  and  determined 
fully  to  reconuoiter.  They  found  ii 
difflonlt  to  believe  that  so  small  a  body 
of  men  was  the  wholo  force  they  had  to 
contend  with,  and  supposed  it  rather  an 
outpost  than  an  army.  At  length  the 
attack  began.  The  Americans  for  a 
time  maintained  their  resolution,  bnt 
finally  began  to  give  way.  When  nearly 
surrounded  they  let  themselves  (by 
holdiufi;  on  limbs  and  bushes)  down  the 
precipice  to  the  river.  Resistance  was 
now  ended  and  after  a  brief  consultation 
it  was  determined  to  send  a  flag 
to  the  enemy,  with  a  proposition  to 
capitulate.  Several  persons  were  buc- 
cessively  sent,  but  neither  answer  nor 
messenger  returned;  they  were  all  shot 
down  or  captured  b;^  the  Indians.  At 
length  Bcott  determined  that  he  him- 


r 


27. 


self  wonM  make  auutber  Attempt.  He 
prepared  a  tla^  of  trace  —a  white  hand- 
kerchief  fttHtoned  uiKJU  his  sword -aud 
accompauied  by  Cfaptaius  Tutton  and 
GibHun  weut  forth  ou  a  forlorn  hope  to 
seek  a  parley.  Keeping  close  to  the 
water's  edge  and  under  cover  of  the 
precipice  as  maoh  as  iKiSsiblo,  they  de»- 
oended  along  the  river.  They  were  ex- 
posed to  a  continual  random  fire  from 
the  Indians,  until  they  turned  up  an 
easy  8lo|>e  to  gain  the  road  from  the 
village  to  the  ueighta.  They  had  just 
attained  this  road  when  they  were  met 
by  two  Indians,  who  sprang  upon  them. 
It  wuB  in  vain  that  Scott  declared  his 
purpose  and  ciuimed  the  protection  of 
his  flag.  They  attempted  to  wrench  it 
from  faia  hands,  and  at  the  same  instant 
Totton  and  Gibson  drew  their  swords. 
The  Indians  had  just  discharged  their 
ritles  at  the  American  officers  and  ^ere 
on  the  point  of  nsin-?  their  knives  and 
hatchets,  when  a  British  officer,  accom- 
panied by  some  men,  rushed  forward 
and  prevented  a  further  combat. 

The  throe  American  officers  were 
ooudncted  into  the  presence  of  General 
BheaiTe;  terms  of  capitulation  were 
agreed  upon;  and  Scott  surrendered  his 
whole  force  with  the  honors  of  war. 
The  entire  force  thus  surrendered,  of 
those  who  had  been  aotnally  fighting, 
were  139  regulars  and  154  militia,  mak- 
ing in  all  293.  But  to  the  ^ntonse  mor- 
tification of  Scott,  the  number  was  soon 
swelled  by  several  hundreds  of  militia, 
who  hod  crossed  to  the  Canada  shore, 
and  in  the  confusion  of  the  moment, 
had  concealed  themselves  under  the 
rooks  higher  up  the  river,  and  were  not 
in  the  slightest  degree  engaged  in  the 
aotiuu  of  tile  day. 


;  ;; 


38. 


The  total  loss  of  the  Ameiioaos  in  this 
'^attlo  wfts  estimated  at  1000  men.  About 
loo  were  killed,  200  who  had  landed 
with  Major  Mullaney  early  in  the  day 
were  forced  by  the  current  of  the 
river  on  the  enemy's  shores  under  his 
batteries  and  were  there  captured.  293 
surrendered  with  Sco^t,  and  the  re- 
mainder were  those  who  had  landed,  but 
were  not  in  the  battle. 

Thus  ended  the  battle  of  Qneenston 
Heights;  an  engagement  desultory  in 
its  movements,  various  in  its  incidents, 
and  unfortunate  in  its  result;  but  not 
without  consequent  importance  to  the 
spirit  and  vigor  of  the  American  arms. 
Magnitude  is  not  always  necessary  to 
the  dignity  of  an  achievement,  nor  is 
defeat  always  discouraging  to  the  ua- 
successful  party.  It  is  the  nature  of  the 
action  which  gives  character  to  the 
actor.  Judged  by  this  standard,  the 
events  of  (juoenston  had  their  value, 
and  their  inspiration  to  every  patriot 
American.  HuR  had  surrendered  with- 
out a  battle;  disgrace,  not  from  the 
mere  disaster,  but  from  the  mode  by 
which  it  was  produced  was  inflicted 
upon  the  country,  and  felt  in  the  hearts 
of  its  children.  It  was  battle,  and  hon- 
orable battle  only,  which  ooul^  drive 
this  gloomy  shadow  from  the  oouc.try, 
check  the  taunts  oi  the  enemies,  remove 
its  own  doubts,  and  re-establsh  its  self 
respect.  The  bvttle  of  Queeust<.)u 
Heights  did  this  in  no  small  degree. 
While  the  mistakes,  the  errors,  and  the 
losses  of  the  day  were  deplored,  the 
American  press  and  people  recognized, 
amid  regrets  and  misfortune,  a  spirit  of 
achievement,  a  boldness  in  danger,  and 
a  gallant  bearing,  whio]i  inspired  now 
hopes,  aud  pointed  out  the  way  to 
ultimate  success.    The  daring  gallantry 


1 


TO. 


of  Oolonel  Yaa  BtiDsselaer:  the  capture 
of  the  British  battery  by  Wool  atd  his 

^  heroic  coiupauions;  the  iutropid  ooa- 
dnct  of  Wadsworth,  of  Ohryatie,  of 
Tottop,  and   Bcott,    and   many  others, 

f.  had  given  a  ohcteri'nluesa  even  to  the 
darkueBfi  of  defeat,  and  almost  a  p:low  of 
satisfaction  to  the  memory  of  Queen- 
«ton  Heights. 

Soon  after  the  surrender,  the  gallant 
Brook  was  buried  under  one  of  the 
bastons  of  Fort  St  George,  with  the 
highest  cf  miiiti^ry  honors.  Fort 
lifiagara,  direoUy  opiKJsite  on  the  Amer- 
ican shore  was  commanded  at  that  time 
by  Captain  McKeon.  Colonel  Soott 
eeut  over  his  compliments,  and  de&ired 
that  minute-guns  might  be  fired  during 
the  funeral  -ceremonies.  Captain  Mc- 
Keon readily  complied  with  the  request, 
for  the  noble  qualities  of  Brock  had 
been  held  in  equal  eeteem  on  both  sides 
of  the  line  It  is  one  of  the  privileges 
which  smooth  the  rough  brow  of  war, 
tiiUB  to  render  a  just  respect  to  Oie 
worthy  dead,  whether  they  be  of  frierua 
or  adversaries.  It  is  the  right  of  mag- 
nanimity to  carry  no  hostility  beneaw 
the  green  C/Overing  of  the  grave,  nor 
beyond  that  line  which  peace  nas  drawn 
between  noble  spirits,  that  once  were 
foes,  nor  against  those  generous  qualities 
which  dignify  the  man  and  adore  the 
races.  ^ 

In  later  years  the  monument  was 
-erected  in  honor  of  General  Brock 
which  now  towers  from  the  top  of  the 
Quoenston  Heights.  From  this  eminent 
pomt  it  can  be  seen  for  miles  around. 
The  exact  spot  where  Brook  fell,  near 
the  foot  of  the  iiill,  has  also  been  ap- 
propriatelv  marked,  and  the  place  en- 
closed with  a  small  fence. 


30. 


Oa|>tDre  of  fort  G^opge. 


The  oampaign  of  1813  opeued  with 
one  of  the  luust  brilliant  ootiuus  of  the 
war.  It  was  the  capture  of  York,  (n'>w 
Toronto)  the  capital  of  Upi/er  Canada, 
by  the  Anieriotin  trooiw  auder  the  com- 
mand of  General  Dearborn.  The  ariuy 
wao  lauded  from  the  fHjuadron  of  Com- 
modore Chanucey.  and  the  aHMistiu^ 
party  was  led  by  Pike.  The  place  was 
captured,  with  a  large  uuml>er  of 
priBouers,  and  the  British  naval  mater- 
ial, there  collected,  destroyed.  At  the 
moment  of  success  a  magazine  exploded 
and  Pike  was  killed  by  the  fall  of  a 
stone.  In  a  letter  written  to  his  father 
the  day  before  the  battle,  in  speaking  of 
bis  exijedition  he  was  about  to  engage 
in,  he  said:  "Bhould  I  be  the  happy 
mortal  destined  to  turn  the  settle  of 
war,  will  you  not  rejoice,  oh  my  father  ? 
May  heaven  be  propitious,  and  smile  on 
the  cause  of  my  country.  But  if  we  are 
destined  to  fall,  may  my  fall  be  like 
Wolf's— to  sleep  in  the  arms  of  victory." 
The  wish  was  fniillled.  He  died  like 
Wolf,  in  the  arms  of  victory,  and  the 
tears  of  grief  and  joy  were  mingleti  to- 
gether at  the  story  of  the  battle  which 
was  won.  and  of  the  hero  who  died. 

On  the  British  side  of  the  Niagara 
was  Fort  George.  This  positiou,  soon 
after  the  last  event,  Generid  Deal- born 
determined  to  carry.  He  was  then  at  the 
head  of  four  or  five  thousand  n.eu.  and 
was  oo-operated  with  by  Commodore 
Chauucey  and  hie  naval  force.  Arrange- 
ments were  made  for  an  attack  on  the 
morning  of  the  27th  of  May.  At  3  a.  m. 
the  tieet  weighed  anchor,  and  befor<:) 
foiir  the  troops  were  all  on  board  the 


m 


'¥ 


31. 


boats.  The  embarkation  was  made 
about  three  miles  east  of  Fort  Nia-fuia. 
It  was  made  in  six  divisious  of  boats, 
lu  the  tirst  was  Oolonol  Boott,  who  led 
the  advauoed  euard,  or  forlorn  hope,  a 
servi  o  to  which  he  had  specially  volun- 
teered. In  the  second  was  Colonel 
Moses  Porter  with  the  field  train.  Then 
followed  the  brigades  of  Generals  Boyd, 
Winder,  Ohaudler,  and  a  reserve  utider 
Colonel  A.  Macomb.  In  the  meantime 
Commodore  Chaunoey  had  directed  his 
schooners  to  anchor  close  in  shore,  so 
near  as  to  cover  the  landing  of  the 
troops,  and  scour  by  their  fire  the  wtuuls 
and  plain  wherever  the  enemy  mif^Ufc 
make  his  appearance.  Captain  Perry, 
from  Erie,  had  joined  Commodore' 
Cbauncey  on  i;he  evening  of  the  25th, 
and  gallantly  volunteered  his  services 
in  superintending  the  debarkation  >f 
the  troops.  It  was  a  difficult  operut  iuu, 
in  consequence  of  the  wind,  the  current, 
a  heavy  surf,  and  the  early  commenced 
tire  of  the  enemy.  He  was  present 
wherever  he  could  be  useful,  under 
showers  of  musketry.  He  accompanied 
the  advanced  guard  through  the  surf, 
and  rendered  special  services  of  which 
mention  has  since  been  made  in  the 
highest  terms  of  commendation.  It  was 
the  bu  .ding  forth  of  that  professional 
skill,  and  that  brave  and  gcnurons  con- 
duct, which  soon  bloomed  out  in  the 
flory  which  surrounds  the  name  of  the 
ero  of  Lake  Erie.  Tho  landing  of 
Col.  Scott  was  effected  on  the 
British  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  at  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  in  good  order, 
at  half  a  mile  from  the  village  of  Newark, 
now  Niagara-on-the-Lake,  and  the  same 
distance  west  of  the  month  of  the  river. 
He  formed  his  line  on  the  beach,  cover- 
ed by  an  irregular  bank,  which  served 


a. 


sa. 


ns  a  partial  shield  a«aiuat  tha  enemy's 
Are.  ThiH  bank,  wliioli  vhu  from  neven 
tu  twelve  feet  in  height,  he  hud  to  ttoale 
a^ainHt  the  bayonets  of  the  enemy, 
who  had  drawn  up  his  foroes,  some 
fifteen  hundred  men,  immediately  on  its 
brow.  In  the  first  attempt  to  ascend, 
the  enemy  pushed  back  the  assailants. 
General  Dearlxjru,  who  was  still  in  the 
Oommodure'H  ship,  seeing  with  his  glass 
Hoott  fail  backward  upon  the  beaoh  ex- 
olaimod,  "He  is  lost!  He  is  killed!" 
Scott's  fall  was,  however,  only  momen- 
tary. Recovering  hiniHelf  and  rallying 
his  men,  ho  reasceuded  the  bank,  knock- 
ing aside  the  enemy's  bayonets,  and 
took  a  i>osition  at  the  edge  of  a  ravine, 
a  little  w>ty  in  advance.  A  sharp  action 
of  abont  twenty  minutes  in  length  en- 
sued. It  was  short  and  desperate,  end- 
ing in  the  total  rout  of  the  enemy  at 
every  point. 

Meanwhile  Porter  with  hin  artillery, 
and  Boyd  with  a  part  of  his  brigade,  had 
landed  in  the  rear  of  the  ailvanoe  giiard. 
and  sbghtly  participated  in  the  close  of 
the  action.  Scott  pursued  the  rout  as 
far  as  the  village,  where  he  was  joined 
by  the  6th  regiment  of  infantry,  under 
the  command  of  Colonel  James  Miller. 
As  the  oolumn  was  passing  Fort  Niagara 
in  pursuit,  Bcott  learned  from  some 
prisoners  caught  running  out.  that  the 

farrison  was  about  to  abandon  and 
low  up  the  place.  Two  companies 
were  instantly  dispatched  from  the 
head  of  the  oolumn  to  save  the  work, 
its  guns  and  stores.  At  the  distance  oi 
eomer  eighty  paces  from  the  fort,  one  of 
its  magazines  exploded.  Scott  was 
atruok  with  a  piece  of  timber,  thrown 
froia  his  horse  and  severely  hurt.  He 
nevertheless  caused  the  gate  to  be  for- 
ced, and  was  the  first  to  enter,  fuid  tore 


T 


j;5it"' 


as. 


down  the  Brittsii  flag,  then  waving 
over  the  works  Bein^  reminded  by 
LiH  primoners  of  the  danger  he  incurred 
from  exphwjon,  he  directed  Captaiiia 
Hiudoian  and  Stockton  to  austoh  away 
the  motohes  whicli  had  been  oi^plied  by 
the  retreating  garrison  to  two  other 
flmall  magaziuen.  The  Fort  had  been 
rendered  untenable  by  the  American 
batterieH  on  the  opposite  shore,  and  its 
capture  was  but  the  work  of  a  few  min- 
utes. This  asoomplished  Scott  re- 
mounted and  was  soon  at  the  head  of 
his  cohimn,  in  hot  pursuit.  This  pur- 
suit was  continued  for  Ave  miles,  until 
at  length  he  was  recalled  by  General 
Boyd  in  person  He  hnd  already  dis- 
regarded two  Hucoessive  orders  to  the 
same  eflfect  sent  by  Qeneral  Lewis,  say- 
ing to  the  aids-de-camp  who  came  to  him 
(one  of  them  Lieutenant  Worth  and  the 
other  Major  Yande  venter)  "  Your 
General  does  not  know  that  I  have  the 
enemy  within  my  power ;  in  seventy 
minutes  I  shall  capture  his  whole  force. 
In  point  of  fact,  Hoott  was  already  in 
the  midat  of  the  British  stragglers,  mth 
their  main  body  in  sight.  He  would 
not  have  been  overtaken  by  Boyd,  but 
that  he  bad  waited  fifteen  minutes  for 
Golonel  Burns,  tis  senior  officer,  who 
had  consented  to  serve  under  him.  This 
last  Colonel  had  ^ust  crossed  the  river 
from  the  Five-Mile  Meadow,  in  rear  of 
the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  with  one 
troop  of  cavalry  and  was  then  waiting 
the  lauding  of  another  now  more  than 
half  way  over.  This  force  constituted 
the  precise  additional  force  which  was 
wanted  by  Boott  to  make  good  the  as- 
surance he  had  sent  to  General  Lewis. 
With  the  recall  of  Scott  from  the  par- 
suit  of  the  onemy  ended  the  battle  and 
capture  of  Fort  George.    ^The  American 


liiiii 


memmmmmmmsmmrT- 


W 


5*.;  .'■  •» 


■  ^  >-.!,' '^''^: 


34. 


low  WM  leM  than  that  of  the  British, 
■D(l  one  of  the  objects  set  forth  in  the 
plan  of  tbo  campaign  waa  tleoitkxjly  ao 
ConrmliBhttl. 

Accor«\inff  to  Qeneral  Dearborn's 
letter  to  tbe  Secretary  of  War.  the 
Ameriean  lose  waa  17  kilied  and  45 
vonnded;  Britifib  k>«»,  90  killed,  160 
wounded  and  KM)  in-iaonera. 

Thia  enf^aKeineut  waa  Dot  without- 
•ome  inoideuta,  one  of  wliiofa  may  not 
be  out  of  i^nce  to  relate.  After  tbe 
eaptnre  of  Boott.  tbe  year  before,  at 
Quoenston.  be  was  aupfiiug  with  Oen- 
erul  BbeaiTe.  and  a  number  of  BritiHb 
ofMcers,  when  one  of  tbeni,  a  Colonel, 
•sked  him  if  be  bad  erer  seen  tbe  nei);b- 
boring  Falls.  Bcott replied,  "Yes,  from 
the  Amtyricnn  side."  To  tbia  tbe  other 
sarcaittically  replied,  "Yon  mnst  have 
the  glory  of  a  sucoessfnl  light  l>eforo 
you  can  view  tbe  cataract  in  all  its 
grandeur,"  meaning  from  tbe  Canadian 
shore.  Scott  re joimid,  "If  it  be  your 
intention  to  insult  mo.  sir,  honor  should 
have  prompted  yoo  first  to  return  me 
my  sword !  "  Qenerul  BboafTe  promptly 
rebuked  tbo  British  Colonel,  and  the 
matter  was  dropped.  At  tbe  battle  of 
Fort  George  among  tbe  earliest  prison- 
ers taken  by  tbe  Americans  was  the 
same  British  Colonel,  badly  wounded. 
Bcott  politely  borrowed  the  prisoner's 
horse,  not  being  able  to  bring  bis  owtt 
in  tbe  l>oats,  and  gave  orders  that  the 
prisoner  should  be  treated  with  all 
liossible  attention  and  kiuduess.  That 
evening,  after  tbe  pursuit,  and  as  often 
as  snbi^quent  events  permitted,  Scott 
called  on  the  British  Colonel.  He  re- 
turned him  the  horse,  and  carefully 
provided  for  all  bis  wants.  Indeed,  he 
obtained  iiermiseion  for  him  to  return 
to  England  on   his  parole,   at  a  time 


''  '■<^i'i**>'V 


■th  '• 


85. 


■i/,,V. 


when  the  )>ellig«renta  had  begitn  to  re- 
fuse auoh  fHvoni,  m  well  na  ul  oxohau- 
ges.    At   the    first   of    thew    visits  the 

ftrisoner  deliotttoly  remarked,  "  I  bar* 
oug  owed  you  au  ofiology,  sir.  You 
have  overwhelmed  me  with  kindness. 
You  can  now  at  your  leisure,  view  tlie 
Falls  in  all  their  glory." 

It  is  such  acts  of  magnanimity  as 
these  which  reflect  honor  on  human 
nature.  Were  they  more  frequent,  the 
rough  brow  of  war  would  Ihj  smoothed 
to  smiles,  and  the  field  of  battle  be  as 
remarkable  for  the  beautiful  iuoharaoter 
•a  fur  the  glorious  in  action. 


rm 


jgattlts  of  ^tony  Qreel^. 


To  the  Buccebsful  actions  of  York, 
Fort  George,  and  of  Saokett's  Harbor, 
there  wore  soou  added  others  of  a  less 
fortunate  result,  and  of  a  less  pleasant 
hue.  On  the  6th  of  June  a  small  brigade 
uf  about  800  American  troops  under  the 
command  of  Oeneral  Wind<)r,  had  been 
thrown  forward  to  Stony  Creek,  and 
there  reinforced  by  another  corps  under 
Ohandler.  Their  object  was  the  pursuit 
and  capture  of  the  British  corps  who 
had  retreated  from  Fort  George,  under 
the  command  of  Vincent.  This  oflScer 
thought  it  better  to  risk  4  battle  than  to 
give  up  his  position.  He  prepared  also 
to  make  the  attack.  Accordingly  on 
the  morning  of  the  6th,  by  night,  a 
British  column  was  pushed  into  the 
centre  of  the  American  line,  which 
Vincent  had  discovered  to  be  weakened 
by  extension,  and  liable  to  surprise,  by 


36. 


the  negligence  of  camp  guards.  The 
attack  succeeded  so  fur  aa  to  break  the 
American  line,  oud  by  a  strange  mis- 
fortune b-th  of  the  American  generals. 
Winder  and  Chandler,  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  British.  When  the  attack 
was  a  made  a  scene  of  confusion  and 
carnage  eutmed,  in  which  the  Americana 
could  not  distingnibh  friend  fron*  foe. 
General  Chandler  approached  to  i-ally  a 
party  but  they  proved  to  be  British 
troops,  who  immediately  secured  him 
as  their  prisoner.  General  Winder 
shared  by  a  like  mistake  a  similiar  fato. 
The  Americans,  however,  maintained 
their  post,  and  forced  the  enemy  to  re- 
retire,  but  the  army,  being  without  an 
axperienced  commander,  retreated  by 
the  advice  of  a  council  of  war.  The 
loss  of  the  British  eTn«eded  that  of  the 
Americans,  acl  was  more  '.nan  one 
hundred. 

A  few  days  after  the  battle  of  Stony 
Creek,  another  incident  still  more  dis- 
astrous occurred  On  the  24th  of  June 
Boerstler  had  been  detached,  with  a 
corps  of  600  men,  to  take  the  British 
post  called  Stone  House,  two  miles 
beyond  the  Beaver  Dams,  and  17  miles 
froL'A  Fort  Gkiorge.  The  British  force 
was  larger  than  was  supposed.  Boerst- 
ler was  suffered  lo  advance  without  an- 
noyance, till  at  length  he  was  surround- 
ed and  compelled  to  surrender. 

The  principal  reason  given  for  the 
success  of  the  British  on  this  occasion 
is  found  in  the  following  narrative,  «s 
reliited  by  Mrs.  J.  J.  Ourrie  of  St. 
Catharines,  and  revised  by  J.  B.  Secord 
of  Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

Looking  from  the  right  hand  side  of 
the  Niagara  Central  train  about  five 
miles  above  St.  Catharines,  the  passen- 
ger will  observe  a  small  obelisk.    This 


Btone  was  erected   to   mark  the    spot 
wbereoutheatth  of  Jiiue,   1813,  took 
place  what  is  now  known  as  the  Battle 
of  the  Beffver  Dams.    At  this  time  the 
Americauuwere  in   full   possession    of 
Niagara   and    the   frontier   as    far   as 
Qneonston  with  an  ontpostatSt.  Davids 
and  strong  pickets  out  at  all  available 
points.    The  British  Army  at  Niagara 
under  General  Vincent  after  their  de- 
feat l)y  the  Americans  under  Gci,  Dear- 
born     had     retreated   to    Burlington 
Heights  and  there  established   themsel- 
ves with  outposts  at  Jordon,  under  Col. 
Bishop  and  at  a  point  near  Homer  un- 
der Major   DeHaren.      A   small  party 
consisting  of  about  50  men  of  the  49th 
Itegt.    under   Lieut.    Fitzgibbon    and 
about  100  Indians  under    Capt.    Duoh- 
arme    were  also  stationed  at  the  Beaver 
Dams.    Such     was     thd     situation  of 
affairs   where   our   story     commences. 
That  story  is   the   record   of   a  brave 
woman    whoso    dee^    of     daring    and 
through  whose  inforn^ation  the  British 
Commander  wa.s  enabled  to  achieve  a 
signal  victory   and   to   be   the   means 
under    Divine   Providence    of    saving 
Upper  Canada  to   the   British   Crown. 
Lieut.  Fitzgibbon  and  his  detachment 
had  been  most  acti?e  in  annoying  the 
enemy,  and  to  get  rid  of  him  and  at  the 
same  time  obtain  an  advantageous  base 
of  operations   against   Gen.    Vincent's 
position  on  Burlington  Laights,  it  was 
resolved  by  the  American  Commander 
to  capture  the  Lieut,    and   the   British 
position  at  the   Beaver   Dams.      This 
oourao  was  adopted  at  a  Council  of  War 
held  at  Fort  George  on  the  18th  of /une, 
1813.    To  carry  out  this  determination 
the  American  General  selected  a  force 
of  about  650  men  composed  of  about  4«w 
kight  Infantry,  two  oompaniea  of  mount- 


•j4e- 


38. 


ed  Infantry,  a  oomimny  of  Artillery 
with  two  iield  pieoea,  iiud  a  half  troop 
of  Cavalry  and  placed  them  under  the 
oommaud  of  Col.  Botirstler,  an  officer 
noted  for  his  bravery  and  diatingaished 
for  gallantry  during  the  Indian  wars. 


':'}  >•  ' 


\  r 


i^eroine    Cc'iupa   geoord. 


Aa  I  before  stated,  the  village  of  Qneen- 
ston  was  in  possession  of  the  Americana 
and  but  few  of  the  older  iu  habitants  re- 
mained there.  Amonsr  the  few  was  the 
heroine  of  this  st/ory,  LanraBecord.  and 
her  hus{>and.  Mr.  Beoord  was  still  suf> 
fering  and  helpless  from  the  wonnd  he 
received  at  the  Battle  of  Qneenston. 
At  their  house  the  American  officers 
were  billeted  and  ambn;;  them  was  Col. 
Boerstler.  On  June  'i3rd  while  these 
officers  were  at  dinner  the  Colonel  talk- 
ed freely  of  his  intended  enterprise- 
told  of  his  plans  to  capture  FitzCTbbou 
and  his  small  party  at  the  Beaver  Dams, 
flow  a  base  of  operations  would  then 
be  bs''' ^<>  the  advance  on  the  position 
htif  '.V,  >\e  British  at  Burlington. 
•'  IV  '  jn  once  oeptured  -  shouted 

fbi  '  .  blooel,  and  Upper  GanadA 

iautti  iJ'  raSecord  listened  to  all 
this,  au>  '  a  the  officers  retired  from 
the  hoDBe  .  i  erform  their  several  duties 
and  Col.  Boerstler  had  gone  in  the  di- 
rection of  Niagara  to  join  his 
command  for  the  capture  of  Pitzgibbon, 
she  consulted  with  her  hnnband  as  to 
the  best  course  io  pursue— some  one 
must  go  to  Tarn  Fitzgiblx>n,  she  said- 
Mr.  Seoord  oonid  not  go,  and  there  was 


wars. 


r 

^-  -/- 

--  ■>■ 

■  .-.v. 

.T-*?i- 

3». 


no  other  to  send  and  she  resolved  to  go 
herself.  She  did  not  fcvr  a  moment 
hesitate.  Her  courage  rose  to  meet  the 
emergency.  Bidding  her  husband  and 
children  a  hurried  farewell,  she,  in  the 
early  evening  of  the  23rd,  left  her  home 
for  a  long  and  perilous  walk  to  the 
Beaver  Dams. 

With  a  sunbonnet  on  her  head  and  a 
milk  pail  in  her  hand  she  passed  the 
first  sentinel  and  was  not  challenged. 
She  sped  onward  and  when  about  "two 
miles  from  her  home  she  was  challeng- 
ed by  another  sentinel  who  roughly  de- 
manded to  know  where  she  was  going. 
Her  story  was  that  she  wan  going  tp 
visit  a  sick  brother  and  with  real  tears 
besought  the  guard  not  to  detain  her— 
after  some  questioning  she  was  allowed 
to  go  on  her  way.  Through  the  woods 
she  sped  along,  meeting  many  adven- 
tures by  the  way  until  at  last  she  reach- 
ed the  position  where  was  encamped  a 
•jionp  of  Indiars  who  at  once  made  her  a 
prisoner.  She  asked  to  be  taken  to  their 
chief.  They  complied  with  her  request 
and  she  at  onoe  made  herself  known  and 
de^:?."  did  to  be  led  to  Lieut.  Fitzgib- 
bon  for  whom  she  said  she  had  great 
news.  After  some  hesitation  she  waa 
taken  to  Fitzgibbon's  quarters  and  at 
onoe  told  her  story.  He  rralized  ifat 
importance.  "Mrs.  Secord."  he  said, 
•'you  have  save  me  and  you  have  hAvid 
Vincent,  God  bless  you."  After  seeiQ{[;^ 
Mrs.  Secord  comfortably  housed  for  the 
night  the  Lieutenant  took  his  measures 
to  give  the  enemy  a  warm  re.!ei)tion. 
Posting  his  little  army  in  advantageous 
position  and  out  of  sight  of  an  advanc- 
ing enemy  and  directing  Gen.  Duoharme 
to  post  his  Indians,  in  a  ravine  in  the 
Beech  woods  which  was  selected  as  a  good 
place  for  an  ambusoade,  the   little  band 


■^f'^.i 


40. 


waited  for  tbe  enem^  to  appear.    About 

0  o'clock  the  Americans  appeared  and 
were  received  by  a  steady  aud  iuoessant 
fire  from  the  woods  on  every  side. 
Boerstler  ordered  the  artillery  to  open 
fire  on  the  woods,  but  this  was  ineffec- 
tual and  the  re>>:>'\ted  attempts  to  march 
forward  were  repulsed,  Boerstler  sev- 
eral times  changed  direction,  meeting 
each  time  an  invisible  enemy.  Behev- 
ing  himself  to  be  surrounded  by  a  large 
force  of  the  British  and  seeing  no 
other  alternative  he  at  last  sent  up  a 
fla<^  of  truce  with  an  offer  of  surrender, 
which  offer  was  accepted,  aud  articles 
of  capitulation  signed.  By  this  surren- 
der Col.  Boerstler,  twenty-three 
officers  and  five  hundred andseveuty-five 
men  became  prisoners  of  war.  Besides 
were  surreudered  the  colors  of  the  14th 
U.  B.  Infantry,  two  cannons,  two  bag- 
gage wagons  aud  about  600  stand  of 
arms  as  substantial  tokens  of  victory. 
Laura  Secord  remained  at  DeCew'a 
house  until  the  25th  when  Lieut.  Fitz- 
gibbon  had  her  conveyed  home.  Her 
return  wns  a  happy  one  as  her  purpose 
had  been  achieved  aud  the  results  Le> 
yond  the  most  sauguine  expectations. 

1  cannot  close  this  brief  narrative  with- 
out recalling;  an  incident  of  the  Buttle  of 
Queenst'^n.  Mrs.  Seoord  and  family 
were  liviug  there  at  that  time  aud  Mr. 
Hecord  was  one  of  the  party  that  con- 
voyed the  remains  of  the  dead  Brock 
from  the  place  where  h j  fell  to  the  stone 
house  where  he  lay  until  taken  to  Fort 
George  in  the  afteruoou.  Mr. 
Secord  returned  to  take  his  share  of 
the  battle  and  while  following  gallant 
McDonnell  up  tbe  heights  receiv- 
ed a  severe  wound  on  the  shoulder, 
lutelli'jenoe  of  this  occurrence  reached 
Mrs.  Beoord  and  she  at  once  hurried  to 


'Sir 


»i,  ■. 


y 


1 


W 


41. 


his  side.  Jnut  as  sho  arrived  three 
American  Boldieih  arrived  au."  raisinf; 
their  miipkets  were  alxjut  to  club  him  to 
death.  Bushing  betweeu  tliem  she  threw 
hertjelf  on  the  iwdy  of  bor   huKbund, 

ithuH  shielding  him  and  implored  the 
rnfiiauB  to  spare    her    husbaud's  life. 

'  With  rough  wards  they  pushed  her  aside 
and  were  about  to  accomplish  their 
murderous  intent,  when  Oupt.  Wool  of 
the  American  army  came  up,  and  call- 
ing them  cowards  sternly  demanded 
how  they  diired  do  such  a  thing.  He 
had  them  arrested  and  sent  to  LewistoD 
where  they  wei-a  afterwards  oourt-mar- 
tiiiled  and  as  a  result  received  well 
merited  imprisonment  for  several 
months  for  tiieir  infamous  breach  of 
discipline.  Oaptain  Wool  ordered  a 
party  of  men  to  take  Mr.  Beoord  to  his 
home,  and  did  not  even  make  him  a 
prisoner  on  parole.  Captain  Wool 
never  forgot  the  friend  ho  made  that 
day.  He  rose  to  the  high  rank  of 
Major  General  and  visited  Mr.  Secord 
several  times,  and  their  friendship  con- 
tinued until  Mr.  Secord's  death.  This 
same  Captain  Wool  stationed  a  guard  at 
the  stone  house  where  the  dead  body  of 
Brool:  wks  conveyed,  to  protect  it  from 
injury  and  insult.  It  is  pleasant  amid 
the  horrors  and  cruelties  of  war  to 
record  the  noble  actions  of  a  generous 
foe.  Mr.  Secord  and  fartily  lived  at 
i^ueenston  for  many  years,  when  re- 
oieving  a  government  appointment,  he 
removed  to  Chippawu  where  he  died  in 
1H42.  Laura  Hecord  Htill  continued  to 
reside  at  Chippawa  and  died  in  18C8  in 
t!<e  96th  year  of  her  age.  In  I860  she 
was  presented  to  H.  B.  H..  the  Prince 
of  Wales,  and  her  brave  exploit  brought 
to  his  notice.  He  afterwards  generouB- 
iy  sent  b^r  his  check  for   .£100,  but  no 


s*a 


4«. 


aoknowledpeiucnt  of  her  Borvioea  was 
made  by  the  guvernmeut.  She  left  sir 
children,  five  dHiighterH  and  one  son, 
none  of  whom  are  now  living.  Her 
only  Bon  pnrohnHed  the  stone  house 
hallowed  by  the  presence  of  the  dead 
warrior  and  lived  there  until  he  remov- 
to  Niagara.  Laura  Secord  and  her 
husband  are  b.iried  in  the  old  cemetery 
on  Drummoud  Hill.  A  simple  stone 
marks  the  spot  where  this  true  hearted 
couple  sleeps.  This  bnryins  ground 
was  the  battle  field  of  Lun«fy'8  Lane 
and  many  of  the  dead  that  fell  in  that 
fierce  conflict  mingle  their  dust  with 
theirs. 


J{,  General  G^ii^paign. 


Daring  this  time,  and  for  more  than 
three  months,  the  main  body  remained 
for  the  most  part  inactive,  and  entxenoh- 
ed  at  Foit  George,  under  the  command 
successively  of  (lonerals  Dearborn, 
Lewis,  Boyd  and  Wilkinson.  The  duty 
of  foraging  devolved  upon  Colonel 
Bcott,  which  he  did  at  least  twice  a 
week.  In  these  excursions  rei'eated 
skirmishes  with  small  parties  of  the 
enemy  occurred.  Not  a  load  of  forage 
was  cut  between  the  hostile  camps  with- 
out a  sharp  combat,  in  which  Scott 
always  came  oS  victorious. 

In  September  an  oxpedit'  a  was  plan- 
ned against  Burlins'ton  Heights,  ut  the 
head  of  Lake  Ontario,  reported  to  be 
the  depot  of  a  larf?e  quantity  of  provis- 
ions and  other  British  stores.  In  this 
oxr>edition  Col.  Scott  volunteered  to 
command  the  land  troops,  and  was  taken 


:■% 


^'' 


43. 


ii^-»m. 


-•■-•^ 


■•■-* 


.V    t^   i 


■J: 


on  boit^d  the  fleet  by  Oommodore 
Gbaunoey.  Burlingtou  Height  b  were 
visited,  but  neituer  enemy  nor 
stures  were  found  there.  On  thn  retnrn 
it  woH  determined  to  make  n  lencent 
npon  York  (now  Toronto).  According- 
ly  0-  landing  of  the  soldiers  and  murines 
was  afieoted,  under  tbo  command  of 
Got.  Uoott.  The  barrack,  and  public 
storehouses  were  burnt.  Ltrge  de|>ota 
of  provisions  and  clothimg  ^tere  taken, 
together  with  eleven  armed  'joats.  and 
a  cousideriible  quantity  of  aiamunition 
and  several  pieces  of  cannon. 

At  the  close  of  this  summer  a  plan  of 
campaign  was  devised,  having  for  its 
object  Kingston,  and  then  Montreal- 
Without  going  into  the  details  of  th«» 
objects  ot  this  plan  and  the  movements 
of  the  diSTeront  armies,  we  will  simply 
sav,  that  in  accordance  with  the  plan, 
Wilkinson  embarked  with  the  Niagara 
army  on  the  2nd  day  of  October,  leav- 
ing Colonel  Scott  commander  of  Fort 
George  with  between  seven  and  eight 
hundred  regulars,  with  a  part  of  Col. 
Swift's  regiment  of  militia,  to  defond 
the  Fort.  And  as  this  fort  had  been 
taken  by  Col.  Scott  and  the  British 
colors  taken  down  by  his  own  hands,  he 
was  proud  of  the  capture,  and  dieterrain- 
ed  to  d'jfend  it  as  the  post  of  honor.  He 
lost  not  a  moment  nor  an  effort  to  im- 
prove the  defences  of  the  foVt.  Expect- 
ing au  assault  at  any  moment,  all  hands, 
including  the  commander,  worked  night 
and  day.  A  week  accomplished  much, 
at  the  end  of  which,  (Oct.  9th),  the 
enemy,  contrary  to  all  expectations, 
broke  np  his  camp,  burning  three 
thousand  blankets,  many  hrmdred  stand 
of  arms,  also  the  blankets  in  the  men's 
prioks,  and  ever  article  of  clothing  not  in 
aotaai  use  and  then  followed  Wilkinson 


,1  y,i"i>.jif'i[ 


44. 


down  the  oonntry.  On  the  I3th  of 
October,  1813,  by  order  of  Mujor-Qon- 
eral  WilkiuHou.  Ool.  Boott  left  Fort 
Qeor^te,  with  tho  whole  of  the  regular 
trooDR  of  the  u^arrinon,  being  relieved- 
by  Bri}riidier-(tBueral  MoGiure,  with  a 
body  of  the  New  York  detitched  militia, 
ox|>ecting  to  embark  at  the  mouth  of 
Qenesee  Kiver,  where  WilkiuHon  witu  to 
provide  means  for  his  embarkation,  but 
failed  to  do  ao,  'ho  that  he  had  to  march 
to  Baokett's  Harbor,  through  rain  and 
mud. 

Ou  the  12th  of  November  the  exptidi- 
tion  down  the  St.  Lawrence  for  the 
conquest  of  Canada  was  abandoned ,  and 
the  army  commenced  a  retreat.  8ir. 
George  Provost  being  relieved  from  his 
apprehension  of  an  ati'Ack  ou  Montreal, 
ordered  his  forces  under  Generals  Vin- 
cent and  Drnmmoud,  to  proceed  to 
Niagara.  The  Americans  had  left  this 
frontier  defenseless,  except  about  60 
men  of  the  New  York  Militia  who  were 
left  to  garrison  Fort  George.  BeiD«f 
hard  pressed  by  the  enemy,  MoOlure 
concluded  t  >  alMindon  the  post.  Soon 
the  lOth  of  December  he  left  for  Fort 
Niagara,  after,  through  a  misoonoeptioQ 
of  his  orders,  he  burned  the  village  of 
Newark,  and  the  people,  who  were  non- 
combatants,  were  turned  out  into  a  deep 
snow,  in  intensely  cold  weather.  The 
British  officers  resolved  to  retaliate, 
although  the  act  was  promptly  disavow- 
ed by  the  American  Government. 


"TTrtr' 


tbd 
I,  aud 

Sir. 
mliiH 
trual, 

Vin- 
aA  to 
ti  this 
nt  60 

were 
Bail)  "J 
dure 
ISo  on 

Fort 
iption 
ge  of 

non- 
^deep 

The 
tliate, 
ivow- 


45. 


British  Qroaa  thegorder. 

On  the  night  of  December  18th  1.000 
BritiHh  aud   ludiai  s  oro«i8ed  the  river 
at  'Five  Mile  Meadow,"  shooting  and 
phinderinR  the  iuliabitauts  and  laying 
low    the    whole    Frontier    to     Buffalo. 
Col.  Murray,  with  550  regulars,   turned 
toward  the  F»irt  of   Niagara,   prepared 
to  storm  it.    The  piokets  were  captured 
without   giving   auy   alarm,    and    the 
enemy  on  reaohiuf;  the  fort  abont  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  actually  found 
the  mam  gate  standing  opt'u  and  uu- 
defended,    and   the    fortress    at    their 
mercy.     For  h  few    minutes  the  "south- 
eaHteru  blockhouas"  and  the  "red  bar- 
racks" withntood  the  entrance  of  the 
foe  80  stoutly  that  several  were  killed  or 
wounded,  among  the    latter  wab  <;ol. 
Murray.     Most  o'/ the  450  oooupante    f 
the  Fort  only  a\yoke  to  find  themB« 
ves   prisoners       The  slight   resistant 
was  made  the  pretext  for    an   inhuman 
onHlaughtin  wlich  80  of  the  helpless 
garrison,     iucladiug      many     hospital 
patiente,    were   slaughtered   after  sxir- 
renderiug.      Fourteen    were  wounded, 
344  taken  prisoner,  20  escaped;   27  oan- 
nim,  3000  stand  of  small  arms,  and  great 
quantities    of  ammunition,     provisions 
aud  camp  etiuipagc  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  victors.    They  held  the  fort  nntil 
the  treaty  of  peace  restored  it. 

The  iiortiun  of  the  British  forces 
which  did  not  accompany  Col.  Murray 
to  the  fort,  including  the  Indians,  pil- 
laged and  destroyed  the  six  or  eight 
houses  then  constituting  Yonngstown. 
They  then  marcht'd  upon  Lewistoji, 
where  they  plundered,  burned  and  but- 
chered to   their   hearts   content.      Mr. 


.y^. 


46. 


_r  'ii^FXf^ 


LosBin^r  un<lerBtood  that  5(10  Indi!«iiB 
nuder  General  Riall  oroHBed  fr.>m 
Queenston  to  Lewistun  on  hearinf?  a 
cannoa  lired  at  Port  Niagara  anuouu- 
ciP.y  i*«  capture.  He  qnotes  the  follow- 
ini^,  eitract  of  a  letter  from  au  oflioer  of 
high  rank,  (whom  he  ooujectnreB  to 
have  been  General  Drnmmoud)  at 
(^ueeuBton.  written  while  the  devasta- 
tion  was  iioiufi  on : 

"A  war-hoop  from  live  hundred  of 

the  most  savage    IndiauB    (which    they 

gave  joBt  at  daylight,  on  hearing  of  the 

Buccoes  of  the  attack    ou    Port  Niagara) 

made  the  enemy  (at  Lewistou)  take   to 

their  heels,  and  our  troops  are   iu  pur- 

snit.     We  shall  not  stop  until   we  have 

cleared  the  whole  frontier.    The  Indians 

,", .;  are    retaliating     the    conflagration  of 

**  Newark.    Not  a  house  within  my   sight 

but  is  in  flames.    This  is  a  melancholy 

but  just  retaliation." 

Mr.  Lossing,  who  qnotes  this  letter, 
remarks:  "Fearful  was  the  retaliation 
f<)r  the  destruction  of  half-inhabited 
Newark,  where  not  a  life  was  sacrificed  ! 
Six  villages,  many  i«)lated  country 
houses  and  four  vessels  were  consumed, 
and  the  butch(<ry  of  innocent  persons  at 
Fort  Niagara,  Lewistou,  Sohlosser, 
Tnscarora  Village,  Black  Rock  and 
Buffalo,  and  in  farm  houses,  attested 
the  fleroeness  of  the  enemy's  revenge." 
But  it  is  imi>o88ible  to  give  the  reader 
such  an  account  of  the  condition  of 
things  on  the  Niagara  frontier,  during 
that  ill-fated  winter  as  will  enable  him 
to  realize  the  alarm,  the  paniq,  and  the 
calamities  that  prevailed  on  every  hand, 
and  of  the  sufferingi;  that  were  endured 
by  the  pioneers  on  the  border. 


'4»i. 


pcrrj;  on  f^al^e  G"®« 


On  September  lOtb  of  tbia  year,  1813, 
an  exoiting  Imttle  touk  plaoe  on  uue  of 
tboae  inland  seoa  wbiob  sepurute  the 
poBHeBBiunH  of  the  two  governniouts. 
The  American  fleet  on  Lake  Erie,  which 
bad  been  formed  dnrin^;  the  paat  siini- 
mer,  was  under  the  command  of  Com- 
modore Oliver  Hazard  Perry.  It  now 
consisted  of  the  Niagara  and  Lawrence, 
each  mounting  twenty-five  ^ns,  and 
several  smaller  vessels,  carrying  on  an 
average  of  two  guns  each.  Theeueniy'is 
fleet  was  considered  of  equal  force. 
Commodore  Barclay,  its  commander, 
was  a  veteran  ofiioer,  while  Perry  was 
young  and  without  exi>erienc('  as  a 
commander.  The  battle  began  uu  the 
part  of  the  Americans  about  12  o'clock 
at  noon.  Parry's  flag  ship,  the  Law- 
rence, being  disabled,  he  embarked  in 
an  open  boat,  and  amidst  a  shower  of 
bullets,  carried  the  ensign  of  command 
on  board  of  the  Niagara,  and  once 
more  bore  down  upon  the  enemy  with 
the  remainder  of  the  floot.  The  action 
became  general  and  severe,  and  at  four 
o'clock  the  whole  firitish  squadron,  con- 
sisting of  six  vessels,  carrying  in  all 
sixty-three  gnna,  surrendered  to  the 
Amerioana.  In  giving  information  of 
his  victory  to  General  Harrison,  Perry 
wrote:  "We  have  met  the  enemy,  and 
they  are  ours." 

This  success  on  lake  Erie  opened  a 
passage  to  the  territory  which  had  been 
surrendered  by  General  Hull;  and 
General  Harrison  lost  no  time  in  trana- 
ferring  the  war  thither.  On  the  a2d  of 
Beptember,  ho  lauded  his  troops  near 
Port  Maiden,  but  to   his  eiuprise,  in- 


:''M^- 


*-f,.-r. 


40. 


■load  of  an  anuud  force,  hu  mot,  at  the 
entrauoo  of  tbo  towii.  the  maidu  and 
matrouH  of  Amherstburg,  wlio,  in  their 
boat  attlru,  hml  come  fortli  to  soUoit  the 
protootioii  uf  tho  Ameriouus. 


7\,merioan    G^t'?®"^   Im- 
pressed. 


lu  Oottibor,  1807  (Ireat  Britain,  by 
proclamation,  recalled  from  foreign 
service  all  seamen  aud  aea-faring  men 
who  were  natural  born  HuV)ieotfl,  and 
ordered  them  to  withdraw  themselves 
and  return  homo.  At  the  same  time  it 
declared  that  no  foreign  letters  of 
naturalization  could  divert  its  natnral- 
b..rn  subjects  of  their  alleRiauoe,  or 
alter  their  duty  to   their   lawful   sover- 

In  the  United  States,  by  the  act  of 
naturalization,  a  foreigner  becomes 
entitled  to  all  the  privileges  and  im- 
munities of  natural  born  citizens,  ex- 
cept that  of  holding  several  offices,  such 
as  President  and  Vice-President.  The 
two  positions  were  those  of  absolute  an- 
tagonism, and  were  alone  sufficient  to 
account  for  much  of  the  controversy 
and  heat  which  attended  the  war  of  1812. 
Claims  to  the  reclamation  of  British- 
born  subjects  naturalizt'd  in  America, 
and  claims  to  impress  them  when  found 
in  American  ships,  were  made  on  the 
one  imud  and  resisted  on  the  other. 
This  wa«  the  state  of  things  when  the 
incidents  took  nlaoo  which  we  are  about 
to  relate. 


^ 


,  at  the 
lids  and 
,  in  their 
ilioit  the 


3   \m> 


ritaia.  by 
I  foreign 
ring  men 
jeots,  and 
heinselves 
ine  time  it 
letters  of 
B  nattiral- 
jiauoe,  or 
ful   flover- 

Lhe  aot  uf 
becomes 
iH  and  itn- 
tizens,   ex- 
iiices,  such 
aeut.    The 
bsohite  an- 
uilicient  to 
soutroversy 
war  of  1812. 
of  British- 
n  Axaerioa, 
ithen  found 
Eide  on  the 
the    other. 
i  when  the 
?e  are  abont 


49^ 

The  battto  of  Qneen»ton  closed  with 
the  Hurreudur  of  Scott  and  his  Bmall 
foroti  to  the  greatly  superior  numbers 
nndei  the  command  of  General  SheaBo. 
These  prisouers  were  sent  to  tluelMjc, 
thence  in  a  cartel  U>  Boston.     When  the 
prisoners  wore  about  t«i  sail   from   Que- 
bec. Scott,  beinsr  in    the   oaV>iu  of  the 
transport,  heard   a   bustle  upon  deck, 
and  hastened  up.      There  he  found  a 
party  of  British  officers  in  the  act  of 
mustering   prisoners,    and    separating 
from  the  rest  such  as,  by  oonfeMion  or 
the  accent  ot  the  voice,  were  jndged  to 
be  Irishmen.    The  object  was  to  send 
them,  in  a  frigate    then  alongsidj.  to 
Eu-'laud.  to  be  tried  and  exocutod  for 
tli'"orimeof  h'sh   treason,   they  being 
t       u  in  arms  against  their  native  alleg- 
,oe.    Twenty -three  had  been  thus  set 
ui)art  when  Scott  reached  the  deck,  and 
thewe  were  at  least  forty  more  of  the 
«ame  birth  in  the   detacliment.      ihey 
were  all  in  deep  afBiotion  at  what  they 
re.'arded  as  the  certain  prospect  of  a 
shameful  death.      Many  wore  adopted 
citizens  of  the  States,  and  several  had 
iamilies  in  the  land  of   their    adoption. 
The    moment     Soott    ascerteined    tbe 
object  of   the    British   officers,  acting 
nuder  the  express  orders  of  the  wover- 
-   oor-General.   Sir.  George  Provost,  he 
■commanded  his  men  to  answer  no  more 
questions,  in  order  that  no  other  select- 
ion should  be  made  by  the  test  of  speech. 
Ho  commanded  them  to  reinam  abso- 
Intely  silent,  and  they  strictly  obeyed. 
This  was  done  in  apite  of  the  threats  ol 
the  British   officers,    and  not  another 
■man  was  separated  from  his  companions. 
Soott  waJ*  repeatedlyly  commanded   to 
go  bel>w,  and  high  altercations  ensued. 
HeiKldrossed  the  party    selected,  and 
«xplained  to  them  fully  the  reciprocal 


,h"\ 


Bfl 


50.  '  ' 

oblieations  of  allegiance  and  protfcotion, 
and   assuring    theua    that   the    United 
States  would  not  fail  to  avenge  their 
gallanu  and  fait!ii?nl  soldiers ;  aJd  tiually 
pledged  hiuiHelf,  in    the    most  solemn 
manner,  that  retaliation,  and,  if  neces- 
sary, a  refusal  to  give  quarter  m  battle, 
should  follow  the  execution  of  i.ny   one 
of  the  party.    In  the  midst  of  this  au'- 
mated  harangue  ho  was  frequently  in- 
terrupted by  the  British  oxaoers,  but, 
though  unarmed,  could  not  bo  silencea. 
The  Irishmen,  whose  names  were  aa 
follows:  Henry  Kelley,  Henry  Blaney, 
George     MoOommon.     John     Dftlton, 
Michael   Condia,    J^^n    Clark,      'eter 
Burr,  Andrew  Doyle.  John  MoQo  wan, 
James  Gill,  John  Fulsom,  Patrick  Mc- 
Braharty,    Matthew   Mooney,    P^}^<f 
Kams.  Jfthn  Fit-5gerald,    Jolm    Wiley, 
John    Douelly.    John   Curry,    Nathan 
Shaley,     Edward     McGarngau,    Johik 
rinnue.  Jolm  Williams,  George  John- 
8^n,  w«re  put   m   irons   on   board  ine 
frigate  and   sent   to  Ei.g!«^pd.      7'"'^n 
Bcott  landed  in  Boston,  he  proceeded  to 
Washintcton  and  was  duly  exchanged. 
He  immediately  related  to  the  President 
the  scene  which  had  otwurred  at  Quebec, 
and  was  by  him  instructed  to  make  a 
full  report  of  the  whole  trAnsaution.  in 
writing,  to  the  Secretary  of  War.     ihw 
was  done  on  the  13th  of  Januaxy,  m». 
The  result  was  that  on  Karoh  3rd,  l»i», 
an  act  was  passed  vesting  the  President 
of  the  Unit«d  States  with  the  power  of 

retaliation.  ^t_-     /-vr  „  0-7*1, 

Two  months  ax.  ^r  this  (May  ^th. 
1813,)  in  the  battle  and  capture  0}  1  Tt 
George,  Scott  made  a  g'eat  number  ot 
prisoners.  Truo  to  bis  pledg6  giveaafc 
Quebec,  he,  as  Adjutiiat-General,  (chief 
of  staff)  immediately  seleoted  twenty- 
three  of  the  number  to  be  contoed  m 


51. 


the  interior  of  the  United  States,  there 
to  abide  the  fate;  of  the  twenty-thiee 
imprisoned  and  sent  to  England  by  the 
British  officers.  In  making  this  select- 
ion  he  was  caretul  not  to  include  a 
single  Irishman,  in  order  that  Irishmen 
might  not  l)e  sacriticed  for  Irishmen. 
This  step  led,  on  both  sides,  to  the  wn- 
finemant  as  hcatages  of  many  other  men 
and  offioeis.  al  of  whom  were,  of  course, 
derandent  for  their  lives  on  the  fate  ol 
the  original  twenty-three.        ,    ,  . 

In  July  1S15,  when   peace   had  been 
months  concluded,  and  Scott  (then  a 
a  major-general)  was  passing  along  on 
the  East  River  side  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  he  was  attracted  by  loud  cheers 
and  bustle  on  one  side  of  the  piors.    xxe 
approaeaed  the  scene  and  great  was  his 
delight  to  find  that  it  was  '.ne  cheers  of 
his  old  Irish  friends,  in  whose  behalf  he 
had  interfered  at  Quebec,  and  w)  o  had 
that  moment  landed  in  triumph,  utter  a 
a  confinement  of  more  than  two  years  m 
English   prisons.       He     was    quicsly 
recognized   by   them,    hailed   as  their 
deliverer,  and  nearly  crushed  by  their 
warm-heart<  '    embraces.     Twenty-one 
werepreaen      wo  having  died  natural 
deaths. 


tUtm^i  ''T^^'fi^''^ 


ItiW* 


52. 


*rbe    Rrmj/"   QisoipUned. 


The  oatif>paigM  of  1813  ended  in  dis- 
grace aud  diHnster.  The  hupea  of  the 
nation  which  had  been  excited  by  the 
brilliant  aohievements  with  which  it 
opened,  sank  to  desimr,  when  the  army, 
after  sustaiuiu^  a  partial  defeat,  mo^e 
an  abrupt  aud  liatity  retreat. 

Amidst  the  ditjastera  of  the  campaign 
there  was  one  benefit.  The  touoh-stone 
of  experience  had  l)een  applied  to  the 
temper  of  (he  army,  and  it  was  now 
boay  to  take  the  pure  metal  from  the 
droaa.  It  was  a  hard  school  of  adver- 
sity; but  many  a  brave  and  highly  gifted 
young  man  was  tra-nedby  itstwichiugs 
to  become  an  aocompliahed  and  efficient 
officer.  On  the  other  hand  it  detected 
the  emptiness  and  untitneaa  of  many  a 
fop,  both  young  and  old,  who  had  been 
sednoed  iuto  the  service  by  the  glitter  of 
uniform  and  the  fwmp  of  military  pa- 
rade. They  were  made  to  learn  and 
feel  their  incompetency  to  endure  the 
dutiea  or  the  frowna  of  war.  Au  ele- 
gant writer  has  well  remarked,  that  the 
rude  winter  gales  of  Canada  swept  fron: 
our  ranks  the  painted  inaeets,  which 
were  fit  only  to  spread  their  glittering 
winf^a  in  the  summer  sun;  but,  at  the 
same  time  arouaed  and  invigorated  the 
eagle-spirits,  which  du.ring  the  calm 
cower  in  solitude  and  silence,  but,  as  the 
tempest  riaea,  come  forth  from  obscuri- 
ty to  stem  the  atorm  and  sport  them- 
selves in  the  gale. 

The  military  apirit  of  the  army  was 
lost.  New  levies  of  troops  were  to  Im 
made  and  the  spirit  of  daring,  of  confi- 
dence and  energy,  \»<\b  to  oe  created 
ijtifore  they  could  take  the  field. 


1 


63. 


♦  To  accomplish  tlieae  ohjeote.  Colonel 
Hoott,  who,  on  tUe  9tli  of  Mai-cb,  1814, 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier- 
Goueral,  immediately  joined  Major- 
Genoral  Brown,  then  tuaroLed  with  the 
*»my  from  the  French  Mills  to^drds 
libe  Nmprnra  Frontier. 

The  army  was  rapidly  assembled  at 
BiiShJo.  I»;  consisted  at  that  time  of 
Bcotfs  bng.ide,  Kipley's  bri^Hde,  Hiud- 
mau'B  battalion  of  artillery  (all  regnlars,) 
and  (Jen  Porter's  brigade  of  mihtia. 

Scott's  brigade  consisted  of  the  bat- 
talions of  the  »th,  the  11th  and  the 
25th  regiments  of  infantry,  with  a  de- 
-  taohment  of  the  22nd,  and  Touson's 
compaiiy  of  artillery.  The  brigade  of 
Gen.  Ripley  was  composed  of  the  1st, 
21st  and  23rd  infantry.  Porter's  com- 
uiHud  was  composed  of  bodies  known  as 
Canadian  Volunteers.  New  York  Vol- 
unteersaud  Pennsylvania  Volunteers. 
The  signal  st-rvices  rendered  at  a 
subsequent  period,  and  the  glory 
which  they  won  for  their  country  on 
hn  d-fought  battle-ftelds,  renders  it 
1'  |)er  tbat  we  should  record  and  re- 
luember  names  so  justly  distinguished 
m  history. 

These  troops  were  placed  in  the 
school  of  lustinction  at  Buffalo,  where 
for  three  mouths  they  were  drilled  in 
all  the  evolutions  and  tactics  ii<  cessary 
to  give  them  the  most  accurate  and 
thorough  discipline.  Officers  and  men 
were  taught  the  proper  distribution  of 
duties  between  each  other,  between  the 
different  ooriw.  and  the  different  ser- 
vices, from  the  formation  of  a  column 
of  attack  to  the  presentation  of  a  salute, 
and  to  the  ejcohang^  of  the  minutest 
courtesies.  It  is  said  that  Scott,  whil») 
at  Buffalo  observed  a  captain  passing  a 
Beutiuei  posted.    The  sentinel  saluted 


Ilfl  II  '  ■■'     ^ 


64. 


liim  hv  oarrvioK  arms,  makiug  his  mn». ' 
&rSg^"M  action.  ,The  oaptaiu 
nttBsed  without  aokuowledKing  tUe 
Seof  the.Boldier.  Gen.  Scott  Bent 
^  aide  to  him  to  say,  that  he  (the  cap- 
tain) would  take  care  to  repaas  the  sen- 
tinel in  20  minutes,  and  repair  the  fault, 
or  take  a  trial  before  a  court  martial. 

The  value  of  discipline,  of  obedience, 
and  of  personal  skill  in  their  business, 
thus  acquired  by  the  troops  of  an  army 
cannot  be  over-estimated     For  want  of 
it .Tebrav^  and  gallant,  but  undisci- 
Dlined  volunteers  of  patriot  armies  have 
Csoatlered  and  driven  by  veteran 
soldiers  fighting  in  a  ^''^  cause,   and 
having  far  less  of  moral  motive  to  buh- 
tSn  tEem.     With  it  soldiers  of  despots 
have  fought  with  invincible  firranosB. 
choosing  graves  where  they  stood,  to 
ffinrftreat.    The  armies  of  Suwarraw 
would  fall  in  the  ranks,  but  without 
orders  never  retreat.     „  ,_         ^  ^  ., 
The  troops  of  Great  Britain  are  well 
disoiplinedlaudit  was  in  the  sbarpeBt 
Sontest  with    them    that  the  army  of 
Niagara  soon  proved  how  much  it    had 
SeA  iu  the  camp  of  instruction  at 

The  apparent  though  not  unprofitable 
inactivity  which  had  P«7*^«^„,S« 
American  army  of  the  north,  during 
the  spring  of  1814,  disappeared  before 
the  rising  heat  of  the  summer  sun.  in 
thektte?  part  of  June  General  Brown 
returned  to  Buffalo,  an4,.t»^«r«*"!;;^'J 
the  storm  of  war,  wita  itn  httr"^<l 
tramp,  its  loud  danger,  its  h.roio  deeds 
and  its  untimely  Seaths,  .^-^^  heard 
swiftly  sweeping  along  the  shores  ot  the 
Niagara. 


-•(,.' 


><<mMMlMHM 


66. 


Qapt&re    of    ^ort     G"®* 


Early  in  the  morniu^  of  the  3rd  of 
July,  1814,  Bcott'B  brigade,  with  the 
artillery  oorps  of  Major  HindtnaQ, 
crossed  the  river  and  landed  below  Fort 
Erie,  while  Ripley's  brigade  landed 
above.  Soott  led  the  van,  crossing  in  a 
boat  with  Colonel  Camp,  who  had  vol- 
unteered bis  services,  and  was  on  the 
shore  before  the  enemy's  piquet  fired  a 

fan.  The  British  garrison  of  Fort 
Irie  oonsisted  of  parts  of  the  8th  and 
lOOth  regiments.  It  ■  soon  surrendered 
and  170,  including  seven  ofBoers,  were 
taken  prisoners,  and  sent  to  the  A^roeri- 
can  side.  Preparations  were  immedi- 
ately miide  to  advance  and  attack  the 
army  of  General  Biall  at  Ghippawa. 


The  gattle  of  Ghit>t>awa. 


On  the  morning  of  the  Fourth,  Scott's 
brigade  moved  towards  Chippaws,  and 
for  16  miles  he  bad  a  running  fight  with 
the  Marquis  of  Tweedale,  who  com- 
manded the  British  lOOth  regiment,  'till 
at  dusk  the  latter  was  driven  across 
Ghippawa  Creek,  and  joined  the  main 
body  of  the  British  army  under  Gener- 
al uiall.  The  Marquis  has  since  said 
that  he  could  not  account  for  the  order 
of  the  pursuit  until  he  recollucted  the 
fact  that  it  was  the  American  great  au- 
niversary. 

The  positions  of  the  British  and  of 
the  Amerioans  oia  the  6th  of  July  may 


56. 


be  easily  underBtood.     On  the  east  aide 
was  the  Niagara  River,  and  near  it  the 
road  to  Ohippawa.     On  the  west  was  a 
heavy  wood.     Between  these,  running 
from  the  woods  to  the  river,  were  two 
Btreams,    the    principal   of  which  waa 
Ohippawa  Creek.      The    other    was  a 
emttU  stream  above,  known  in  history 
as  Street's  Creek.     Behind,  and  below 
Ohippawa  Creek,  lay  the  army  of  Oen- 
ernl  Biall,  with  a  heavy  battery  on  one 
B'de  and  a  block  house  on  the  other. 
Scott's  brigade  had  rested  for  the  night 
on  and  above  Street's  Creek.       Over 
these  streams    the    road  to  Ohippawa 
passe  i  on  bridges,  the  one  over  Street's 
near  the  Ameriouus  and  the  other  over 
the  Ohippawa  near  the  British.     This 
was  the  position  of  the  respective  par- 
ties on  the  morning  of  the  5th  when 
General  Brown  was  expecting  to  attack 
the  British,  and  they  in  turn  determin- 
ed to  anticipate  it,  by  a  sortie  from  the 
lines  of  Chippawa.    It  was  a  long  day 
in  summer;  the  earth  was  dry  and  dusty, 
and  the  ran  bright  and  hot  when  the 
best  troops  of  Britain  and  America  met, 
as  in  tonrnamente  of  old,  to  test  their 
skill,  their  firmness,  and  their  courage 
on  the  banks  of  the  Niagara.  , 

The  day  began  with  the  skirmisheB 
of  light  troops.  The  British  mihtia  and 
the  Indians  occupied  ^'je  wood  on  the 
AmericanH  left,  and  about  noon  annoy- 
ed the  American  piquets  placed  on  the 
flank.  General  Porter,  with  volunteers, 
militia  and  some  friendly  Indians  of  the 
Six  Nations,  soon  engaged  them,  and, 
after  some  skirmishing,  drove  them 
tlirough  the  wood  btvck  ujK>n  Chippawa. 
Here  the  British,  finding  that  their 
main  army  under  Oene'-al  Biall  was  ad- 
vauoiug,  rallied,  and  in  turn  attacked 


^-■'•wwt^- 


last  aide 
ir  it  the  j,. 

8t  Wll8  a 

rnuniug 

ere  two 

ich  wit8 

was  a 

history  , 

d  lielow 

of  Geu- 

y  on  one 

e  other. 

ihe  night  - 

Over 
3hippttwa 
•  Htreet'8 
ther  oviBj 
h.     This 
otive  par- 
jth  when 
'  to  attack 
deterraiu- 
)  from  t)ie 
long  day 
md  dusty, 
\rheu  the 
erica  met, 
test  their 
Lr  oourage 

skirmisheB 
nilitia  and 
)od  on  the 
)on  annoy- 
iced  on  the 
rolnuteers, 
liauB  of  the 
them,  and, 
•ove  them 
Ohippawa, 
that  their 
[all  was  ad- 
u  attacked 


57. 


Porter,  compelling  his  command  to 
Stive  way.  In  spite  of  his  own  eflforta 
aad  personal  gallantry,  theae  light 
troops  broke  and  lied,  at  sight  of  the 
formidable  array  of  Biall. 

It  watt  now  abont  four  o'clock.  Gen- 
eral Brown  was  then  in  the  woods  with 

_  Porter;  when  a  cloud  of  dust  arose  to- 

'  ward  Ohippawa,  and  tiring  was  heard. 
This  ai>prised  him  that  the  British  army 
was  advancing.  At  this  very  moment, 
Qon.8oott,m  ignorance  of  the  British  ad- 
vance, was  moving  his  brigade  towards 
the  plain,   simply  for  the  purpose  of 

.drill.  Near  the  bridge  over  Street's 
Creek  he  met  Geueral  Brown,  who  said, 
"the  enemy  is  advancing.  You  will 
have  a  fight."  Gen.  Brown  passed  to 
the  rear,  to  put  Ripley's  brigade  in 
motion,  and  to  reassemble  the  light 
troops  behind  Street's  Creek.  It  was 
not  till  he  arrived  at  the  bridge,  over 

,  Street's  Creek,  '200  yardn  to  the  right 
of  his  camp  of  the  night  before,  that 

,  Scott  saw  the  enemy.  The  army  of 
Biiill  had  crossed  the  bridge  over  Ghip- 

;  pawa  Creek,  and  displayed  itself  on  the 
plain  before  described.  It  was  compos- 
ed of  the  lOOtU  regiment  under  Lieuten- 

^ont-Oolonel  Marquis  of  Tweedale,  the 
let  or  Royal  Scots  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Gordon,  a  portion  of  the  8th  or 
King's  regiment,  \  detachment  of  the 
Royal  Artillery,  a  detachment  of  the 
Royal  19th  Light  Dragoons,  and  a  por- 
tion of  Canada  militia  and  Indians. 
The  main  body  of  these  troops  were 
among  the  best  in  the  British  army. 

This  force  was  supported  by  a  heavy 
battery  of  nine  pieces,  within  point 
blank  range  of  the  American  troops. 
Under  the  lire  of  this  battery  the  corps 
of  Scott  passed  the  bridge  in  perfect 


58. 


order  but,  with  some  1<^88.  His  first  and 
second  battalions,  uudui*  Majors  Leaven- 
worth and  MoNeil.  after  oronsing  form- 
ed a  line  to  the  front,  which  brought 
them  opposed  respectively  to  the  left 
and  centre  of  ilie  euotuy.  The  tiiird 
battalion  under  Major  Jesup  obliqued 
in  column  to  the  left,  and  advanced  to 
att<:tck  the  right  of  the  euemv,  which 
exteuded  into  the  woods.  Captain  Tow- 
son  with  his  artillery  was  station  ed  on 
the  right,  resting  in  tlte  rond  to  Chip- 
pawa. 

Without  going  into  f  urthor  detail  we 
would  simi^y  say  that  the  action  now 
became  general.  Major  Jesup  now  in 
the  woods,  and  out  of  view,  engaged 
and  held  iu  check  the  enemy's  right 
wing.  The  plain  widened  on  the  fiauk, 
and  the  enemy's  main  line  ooutiuued  to 
advance.  Jessup  having  thus  held  in 
check  one  battalion  iu  the  woods,  the 
engagement  there  gave  the  enemy  a 
new  right  Hank  upon  the  plain.  Gener- 
al Scott,  who  had  continued  alternately 
to  advance  and  fire,  was  now  not  more 
than  80  paces  from  the  enemy.  The 
enemy  having  a  new  flank,  Scott  took 
advantage  of  the  enlarged  interval  be- 
tween Leavenworth  and  McNeil,  to 
throw  the  left  flank  of  McNeils's  battal- 
iau  forward  on  its  right.so  that  it  stood 
obliquely  to  the  enemy's  charge  and 
flanked  him  a  little  on  his  »>  w  right. 
At  this  moment.  Oen.  Scott  culled  aloud 
to  McNeil's  battalion,  which  had  not  a 
recruit  in  it:  "The  enemy  says  that 
we  are  good  at  a  long  shot,  but  cannot 
stand  the  cold  iron.  I  call  upon  the 
Eleventh  inatautly  to  give  the  lie  to 
that  Hlander.  Charge !  "  This  move- 
ment was  executed  with  decisive  eiTect. 
A  corresponding  charge  was  also  made 


".r>,.  V 


m 


KH^  "-"  ■  fS^wfeS"" 


sg. 


~?,-v 


by  Leaveuwortb,  who  held  an  obliqne 
pob^tiou  ou  our  rieht.  These  ohar^es, 
BUBtttiuud  by  the  nauk  ttre  of  Tdwsuu'b 
artillery  uu  the  right,  quickly  put 
the  eueuiy  tu  ruut. 

lu  the  lueau  time,  aud  nearly  at  the 
same.  Major  Jesup,  ouoiiuaudiu^  the 
left  iinuk  battaliuu,  fiadiug  himself 
pressed  iu  front  an'^  fiauk,  onlered  his 
men  tu  "support  <  .ms  aud  advauoe." 
This  order  was  promptly  obeyed  amidst 
a  deadly  and  destructive  tire.  Having 
gaiued  ii  more  secure  position,  he  re- 
turned so  severe  a  tire  as  caused  them 
to  retire.  Thus  was  the  whole  British 
line  fairly  routed  in  a  Held  action  on  an 
open  plain.  The;'  fled  to  their  intrenoh- 
ments  beyond  Ohippawa  Greek,  hotly 
pursued  by  Uoott  to  the  distance  of  half 
musket  shot  of  Chippawa  Bridge.  He 
took  many  prisoners,  leaving  the  plain 
behind  strewn  with  the  dead  aud 
wounded  of  both  nations. 

The  cou  tending  forces  on  the  British 
side,  according  to  the  British  Adjutant- 
General's  rei>ort,  dated  the  13tb  of  July, 
181'<,  in  giving  a  ret,uru  of  the  killed 
an  i  wounded,  enumerates  the  Ist  regi- 
va^JXt,  (Boyal  Scots)  the  8tu,  (Queen's) 
the  100th,  (Marquis  of  Twedale's)  a  de- 
tachment of  Boyal  19th,  (dragoons)  a 
detachment  of  artillery  and  a  portion 
of  Oanada  Militia.  These  regiments 
were  not  full,  but  altogether  numbered 
about  2,100  men,  Of  which  138  were 
killed,  319  wounded  and  46  missing; 
total  loMS  503. 

The  American  troops  were  the  8th, 
11th  and  liSth  infantry,  with  a  detaob- 
meiit  of  the  22ud,  Towson's  artillery 
and  Porter's  Yolauteers,  making 
1900  men,  all  told,  of  which  60  were 
killed,  248    wounded  and  19  missing, 


60. 


making  a  total  lose  Mf  327,  making  a 
grand  bital  loaa  of  H3(i  from  about  4,000 
men. 

A  BritiHh  oiBoer  who  wrote  itt  the 
timeBMid/'NunierouH  aM  were  the  battles 
of  Mapoleon,  and  br»iVH  its  were  his 
soldiers,  I  do  not  believe  that  he.  the 
greatest  warrior  that  ever  lived,  oao 
produce  aa  iiiHtiince  of  a  contest  so  well 
maintained,  or,  in  proportion  to  num- 
bers engaged,  so  bloody,  as  that  at 
Ghippuwa." 

The  buttle  was  fought  on  the  5th  day 
of  July,  1814,  on  Ohippawa  Plains,  and 
was  an  exciting  and  in  some  degree  a 
poetic  scene.  It  was  fought  at  the 
close  of  a  loug,  lirigut,  summer  day. 
Ou  one  side  rolle<l  the  waters  of  the 
deep  blue  Niagara,  on  the  other  was  .. 
seen  the  verdure  of  the  northern  forest. 
The  plain  ou  which  the  hostile  forces  met 
was  level  and  smooth,  aa  if  prepared  for 
the  meeting  of  the  warriors  of  ancient 
knighthood.  The  best  troops  of  England 
wheeled  into  it  over  Chii>pawa  Bridge 
and  the  regiments  of  America,  cool  and 
determined,  marched  to  meet  them  in 
combat.  The  sun  shone  down,  and 
brilliant  arms  Hushed  in  its  beams. 
Each  movement  of  the  troops  was  dis- 
tinct. As  the  battle  deepened,  fine 
bauds  of  music  mingled  their  melody,  in 
sudden  bursts,  with  the  roar  of  artillery 
and  the  moans  of  the  wounded. 

The  battle  ended  mid  many  were  the 
dead  on  that  duHty  plain,  whose  last 
groans  expired  with  tli*'  last  rays  of  the 
sun.  Darkness  came  on,  and  wearied 
with  battle  and  thirsty  from  heat,  each 
army  retired  to  it»  camp,  the  Americans 
being  victorious.  The  dead  woke  not 
from  their  bloody  beds,  the  living  sank 
to  rest. 


'''-'3f! 


litt 


ing  a 

4,000               .,; 

t   the           J'tii 

.utiles              .'^ 

i  hiB         >i; 

(,   the             N> 

,   can 

>  well 

umu-              ,.- 

mt    at               * 

h  day       .    Ml 

I,   and            "-' :' 

(ree   a 

a    the 

day. 

of  the      ,;/'  •  - 

ir   was        ^'?;  - 

forest.        ' '^i 

B€s  met           ■■■■•; 

red  for 

ftncient 

u<;land         •  .  ,  . 

Bridge          ^.■. 

ol  and           ♦ 

lem   in 

D,   and 

beams. 

as  dis- 

l,    fine 

ody,  in 

rtillery 

are  the 

)8e   last 

1  of  the 

irearied 

t,   each 

tericaus 

>ke  not 

ifi^  sank 

61. 


gattle  of   Cun<lj;'8  Cane. 


After  the  campaign  of  1813,  Fort  Mes- 
saaangiia  was  erected  near  the  month  of 
Niagara  river  and  added  to  the  defenoea 
of  Fort  Georgt-.  These  ftjrts  General 
Riall.  the  British  commander,  reinforij- 
ed  and  then  retired  to  Burlington 
Heights,  near  the  head  of  Lake  Ontario, 
soon  after  tue  battle  of  Chippawa. 

Oj  the  10th  of  July,  1814;  the  Ameri- 
can camp  was  removed  to  (^ueenston, 
with  the  view  of  capturing  these 
defences  before  commencing  any  inter- 
ior operations.  To  aooompHsh  this  ob- 
ject General  Brown  sent  to  Sackett's 
Harbor  for  lieary  caunon,  which  were 
to  have  been  transported  by  the  Ameri- 
oau  vesfiels  to  the  place  of  action,  but  as 
Oommudore  Ohanuocy  lay  sick  at  the 
time,  and  the  enemy  had  a  momentary 
superiority  on  the  lake,  the  intentions 
of  the  commander  in  regard  to  the  ports 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara  were  dis- 
aptH>inted. 

Gen. Brown  theh  determined  to  attack 
Burliugt<jn  Heights;  but  to  induce  the 
enemy  to  descend,  and  at  the  same  time 
draw  a  small  supply  of  proviHiouH  from 
Schlosser,  he  masked  his  inteutioim  by 
feigning  a  retreat  up  the  Niagara, 
recrossed  Chippawa  Creek  and  en- 
camped. 

Had  this  movement  fiviled  to  with- 
draw the  British  trooiw  from  the 
Heights,  it  was  intended  to  use  the  25th 
as  a  day  of  rest  and  on  the  26th  to  send 
Genoral  Scott  forward  by  the  road  from 
Queeustou,  and  force  Riall  to  action,  no 
matter  how  strongly  he  might  be  posted. 
But  events  determined  other  viae,  and 


•'111 


WW! 


iii.i*iii'iiiitiM-i 


M' 


.*? 


02. 


what  was  intended  to  be  a  dny  of  reet, 
was  one  uf  tlie  must  active  aud  bloody 
days  of  the  oainpai^u- 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  25th,  amidst 
general  relaxation,  General  Browii 
received  a  note  from  a  colonel  of  militia 
whose  regiment  occupied  two  or  three 
nosttt  on  the  American  Bide  of  the 
Niagara,  stating  in  the  most  prociso 
terms,  that  the  enemy  had  thrown 
a  thousand  men  aoroBs  from  Queeuston  to 
Lewistou  for  some  rea»')u  not  exactly 
understood.  Hut  Oeneral  Urown  con- 
jectured that  it  was  the  enemy's  inten- 
tion to  capture  our  maga/.inos,  and  to 
intercept  supplies  coming  from  Buffalo. 
In  order  to  recall  him  from  this  object. 
Brown  immediately  determined  to 
threaten  the  forts  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Niagara. 

In  less  than  20  minutes  Scott's  oom- 
muinl  was  put  in  motion  for  that  pur- 
jHJse.  His  force  consisted  of  four  small 
battalions,  under  Col.  Brady,  aud 
Majors  Jesup,  Leavenworth  and  McNeil, 
Captain  Towson's  artillery,  aud  Captain 
Harris's  detachment  of  regular  and 
volunteer  cavalry;  in  all  amounting  to 
1 ,300  men,  So  hurriedly  did  they  start 
that  there  was  not  time  to  call  in  the 
guards  belonging  to  these  jorps. 

Al>ont  two  miles  from  the  camp  and 
just  above  the  Falls,  Scott  discovered  a 
few  British  officers,  mouted,  who  as  it 
turned  out,  were  in  advance  to  recon- 
noitre, and  soon  learned  that  the  enemy 
was  in  some  little  force  below  and  only 
intercepted  from  view  by  a  small 
wood' 

In  this  situation,  General  Scott  reflec- 
ted a  moment  on  what  course  would  be 
best  to  pursue.  He  was  instructed  to 
march  rapivUy  on  the  forts,  under  posi- 


BlAlMk 


reHt, 
iluody 

Hkiwh 
D)ilitia 
r  tbren 
of  the 
piooiBO 
tbrown 

JHtoU  t«> 

exactly 

m  nov- 

iutou- 

Hud  to 

Buflttlu. 

(>l>joot, 

ued      to 

I   uf  the 

tt'B  com- 
bat pur- 
}ur  small 
dy.  and 
I  McNeil, 
I  Captaiu 
liar  and 
mtiug  to 
bey  Btart 
all  in  tbo 

iamp  and 
covered  a 
who  as  it 
to  reoon- 
ho,  enemy 
and  only 
a     email 

>ott  refleo- 

wonld  be 

brncted  to 

indor  poai- 


^ 63. 

tive  information  (eiven  as  we  have  nar- 
rated to  (Jeneral  Dvowu,)  that  Kial)  had, 
three  hours  before,  thrown  Imlf  his  force 
across  the  Niagara  at  LewiHton.  lle- 
flectiut;  that  the  whole  had  been  beaten 
on  the  5th  iust.,hc  lost  no  time  in  recon- 
noitreiui;,  but  dashed  forward  to  dis- 
perse what  ho  thought  was  the  remnant 
of  the  British  army  opijosed  to  him. 

After  disi>atohiug  Assistaut  Adjutant- 
Oeueral  Jones  to  General  Brown  with 
the  information  that  the  enemy  was  in 
front,  he  proceeded  to  ikiss  the  wood, 
and  WHS  greatly  astonished  to  find 
directly  in  front,  drawn  up  in  order  of 
battle,  on  Liuudy's  Lane  with  nine  pieoep 
of  artillery,  a  larger  fore  •>  than  he 
had  encountered  at  (Jhippawa  20  days 
before.  The  position  Le  was  in  was  ex- 
tremely oriti-jal.  To  stand  fast  wa»  out 
of  the  question,  being  already  under  m 
heavy  fire  of  the  enemies  artillery  and 
musketry.  To  retreat  was  e(jnally  aa 
hazardous:  for  there  is  always  in  such  a 
case  the  probability  of  confusion,  and 
at  this  time  the  danger  of  creating  a 
panic  in  the  reserve,  then  supposed  to 
be  coming  up,  and  which  had  not  been 
in  the  previous  battle. 

8oott  saw  that  no  measure  but  one  of 
l.-olduess  would  succeed.  He  therefore 
detormiued  to  maintain  the  battle 
agiiiniit  superior  numbers  and  iwsitions 
until  the  reserve  came  up,  thns  giving 
General  liiall  the  idea  that  the  whole 
American  aripy  was  av  hand.  Tbia 
would  prevent  him  from  profiting  oy 
his  numerical  strength  to  attack  our 
flanks  and  rear.  He  would  thus  lose 
tbo  initial,  a  matter  of  no  small  impor- 
tanoe>  in  military  enterprise.  The 
scheme  succeeded,  and  for  a  long  time 
the  enemy  was  kept  on  the  defensive. 


V: 


»??<»^7t«5-— ^p. 


^*'^r 


.^f' 


64. 


"k. 


•4V 


till  the  Americau  reserve  cftino  up  and 
entered  into  the  acliun. 

It  appears  from  General  Diuinmond's 
reiK>rt  en  July  2P>tli,  that  he  thought  his 
position  in  Luudy's  Lane  was  attacked 
by  the  whole  Americau  army.  He 
thanks  the  army  for  "repulsing  the 
efforts  of  a  numerous  and  determined 
enemy  to  carry  the  positioij  of  Lnndy's 
Lane."  But  the  truth  was  that  the 
American  combatants  stood  for  more 
than  an  hour  und  maintained  a  contest 
against  a  force  seven  times  their  num- 
ber. 

In  the  meanwhile '  Scott  had  sent  back 
to  General  Brown,  Lieutenant  Doug- 
lass, as  well  as  Major  Junes,  to  report 
the  condition  of  affairs.  The  first  was 
to  report  that  the  remnant  of  liiall's 
armjr  Was  maneouvering  to  protect  the 
detiMjhment  thrown  over  the  Niagara; 
the  second  waH  I  o  inform  the  general 
that  so  far  froii  being  diminished,  the 
British  urmy  wns  actually  reinforced, 
and  thus  to  hasten  up  the  reserve. 

On  the  British  side  the  foots  wore 
these:  lu  the  night  before,  the  night  of 
the  24th,  Lieuteuaut-General  Sir  Gor- 
don Driimuiond  had  arrived,  in  the 
British  fleet,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niag- 
ara, with  a  large  reinforcement  from 
Kingston  and  Presoott.  This  was 
wholly  unknown  to  General  Brown. 
Drummondhad,in  advance,  seutinstruc- 
tions  to  Biall  to  meet  him  on  the  25 th, 
on  the  Niagara.  Accordingly  Siail  iiaa 
inarched  up  the  very  road  it  h&d  beeu 
arranged  Scott  was  to  take  on  the  28th. 
He  had  come  by  Queenston  without 
putting  a  man  over  the  Niagara.  H& 
hud  continued  his  route,  as  the  advance 
of  Drummond's  army  towards  the 
Falls.    On  the  way  he  had  already  been 


'-r^<;^^■tm'!rft~:?■■^^^■^fl 


!lw,5Jil*MII;i,ii^ll4^.i 


and 


65. 


joined  by  two  of.  the  battalions  which 
iad  coml  up  m  ihe  fleet  The  othorB 
arrived  successively,  at  int*rvais  of  aaii 
am  hour  or  aa  hour,  i*fter  the  aotiou 
hadcommcuoed.  .     .     , 

'J'hd  battle  began  about  40  lainuteB  be- 
fore Bunsefe  a«d  like  its  predeoeBsor  at 
Ohippawa  was  the  closing  drama  oX  a 
long  aud  warm  summftr'a  day.  And  iiKe 
that  too,  it  sigaalizfcd  amoag  the  aflairs 
of  men  ft  spot  which  in  the  world  ol 
Mature  had  been  rendered  illustrious 
by  one  of  the  groat  and  glonoua  worfcs 

**  WhVu  the  battle  was  about  to  begia 
iuBt  as  the  Betting   sun   .ent   hie   rea 
beams  from   the  west,   they  fell  apoa 
the  spray,  which  contiuually  goes  up, 
like  inoensfc.  'rom  the  deep,    d«*'f^S 
torrent   of  Nia^nr^.    The  bright  IxgM 
was  divided  iaifl  ivO  pnmal  hues,  .*"«-» 
rfoinbov'  rose  from  the  waters,  enojrcuug 
the  hewi  of  the  advancing  column,    in 
a  more  euporstitiou'*  age  e'^ch  a  sign 
would  have    been    regarded,  uKe  sna 
Bomanauguries,  aaii,  precursor  of  vio-  • 
tory.    Even  now  ths  bow  of  prouiisa 
furnished  the  inspiiation  of  h!n>«»  ''p*»« 
the  colors  of  bb»aty-      '  . 

The  sun  had  n»  w  gone  down,  ana 
darkness  came  or ,    but  no   reinioros- 
nients  had  yet  appeared.    Bat  tae  gal- 
lant    band     maintainod     the     battle, 
although  an  officer  remmdad  the  gener- 
al that  the  rule  for  retirmg  was  ^o^^- 
plishod  since  more  than  oae-tourth  ol 
his   number   was  killed  or   womided, 
V    among  whoai  were  many  of  hi»  offiiwra. 
■   Tb'^  ifrave  CoL  J^rady  had  btsen  tlw,  Sr&t 
,      to  form  his  regiment,  and  on  .hat  the 
loss  fell  the  heaviest.     Himself  tmoo 
wounded,  he  was   antreat«d,  by  those 
who  observed  him  pale  from  the  loss  ot 


Wool,  to  4nit  the  field.  "Not  while  I 
e«n  stttud,"  was  the  reply,  worthy  of 
Leonida,. 

It  was  now  nine  o'clock.  The  ene- 
my's right  had  been  driven  back  from 
its  fiank  assault  with  great  loss.  His 
left  waa  turned  and  cut  off.  His  center 
alone  remained  firm.  It  was  posted  on 
a  ridge  and  supported  by  nine  pieces  of 
artillery. 

Another  battalion  rf  Drummond's 
reinfovcemeuts  bad  already  arrived,  and 
a  fourth  one  was  *)nly  a  few  miles  be- 
hind. Buch  waa  the  state  of  the  field 
when  the  reinforoeiaont»  appeared. 
Gen.  Ripley,  by  when  it  was  oommand- 
ed,  had  been  ordered  to  form  his  bri. 
gade,  on  the  skirt  of  a  wood  to  the  right 
of  Gen.  Bo^tt.  But,  finding  that  thio 
position  was  not  favorable,  he  took  the 
responsibility  of  first  moving  nearer  to 
the  British.  For  this  purpose  he  was 
about  to  pass  the  brigade  of  Scott,  but 
coming  between  him  and  the  enemy,  he 
found  that  he  was  suffering  severely 
from  their  cannon.  Ripley  then  oon- 
oeived  the  bold  thought  of  storming  i>he 
formidable  battery.  "Col.  Miller," 
said  he,  "oanydu  take  yonder  battery?" 
"  I  will  try,"  was  the  answer  of  that  b'art 
of  oak— a  phrase  now  familiar  t<  lU 
American  lips.  At  the  head  of  .be 
2lBt  regiment,  he  calmly  took  his 
course,  guided  by  Gten.  Scott,  ^vho  was 
perfectly  acquaint«d  with  tbi  round, 
till  he  had  the  right  direction,  i.  obed 
up  to  the  mouth  of  the  blazing  c  on, 
around  which  the  enemy  had  i  ed» 
bayonetted  the  men  while  firiuL  nd 
possessed  himself  of  their .gnns.  Bi  y 
had  moved  at  the  SBme  time,  at  e 
bead  of  the  33rd  regiiaout.  to  the  att  ^ 
of  the  in&intry,  ana  drove  them  duwa 


'-■*■ 


'"^SA 


-%!* 


67. 


■,•'«)"*• 


"^« 


the  eminence,  which    was  the  key  uf 
of  their  position. 

Here  Ripley  formed  his  brigttde. 
Gen.  Porter,  with  his  vohinteers,  was 
on  the  right  tind  the  artillery  of  Towsou 
in  the  center.  The  enemy  rallied  in 
their  mi^ht  and  ndvanoed  to  regain 
their  position  and  artillery.  The  Amer- 
iouDR  perceived  that  the  enemy  was 
coming  on.  but  jould  not  distinctly 
ascertain  from  what  (loint.  The  moon 
had  risen,  but  dark  clouds  were  in  the 
heavens,  and  the  light  was  fitfnJ. 
Sounds  came  indistinctly  mingled  from 
every  quarter.  The  roar  of  the  catar- 
act, the  shrieks  and  groans  of  the  dying 
and  wounded,  t'le  discharge  of  artillery, 
were  all  hoard,  as  well  as  the  rush  of 
the  enemy's  attack.  In  this  situation 
Ripley  gave  his  troops  the  order  to  wait 
til  tlie  enemy's  bayonets  touched  their 
own,  and  to  teke  aim  by  the  light  from 
the  discharge  of  their  muskets.  The 
pirn  of  the  Americans  was~  good  and 
numbers  of  their  brave  enemy  fell. 
They  closed  up  their  ranks  and  came  on 
with  the  bayonet.  The  Americans 
stood  the  charge  and  sturdily  pushed 
back  the  thrust.  For  20  minutes  this 
deadly  strife  continued  when  the  veter- 
ans of  the  Dr'f  e  of  Welliugtt)n  retreated 
in  disorder.  But  they  renewed  the  at- 
tack until  they  wero  four  times 
repulsed.  At  length,  about  midnight, 
they  ceased  to  contend,  and  left  their 
position  and  artillery  to  the  Americans. 
Although  the  brunt  of  the  battle  was 
on  the  eminence,  other  efforts  were 
being  made  in  different  parts  of  the 
field.  The  brigade  of  Hcott,  shattered 
asit  was,  having  formed  anew,  was  not 
content  to  look  idly  on,  while  their 
bretheru,   who    had   stepped   between 


C8. 


them  and  death,  were  now  bleeding  in 
their  turn.  Gen.  Scott  charged  at 
their  head,  through  an  opening  in  Rip- 
ley's line,  but  in  the  oonfuBion  and 
darkness  of  the  scene,  he  passed  be- 
tween the  tires  of  the  combatants.  H« 
afterwards  in  the  tight  took  his  post 
on  Ripley's  left.  In  another  quarter, 
Ool.  Jessup,  with  only  aoo  men,  advanced 
upon  the  enemy,  brought  them  to  close 
action,  drove  them  from  tJlie 
ground  and  captured  Gen.  Riall  with 
other  officers  and  soldiers  to  a  number 
almost  equal  to  his  own. 

Major  Ketchum,  ■  I  the  ^oth  regiment 
of  infantry,  was  the  ollicer  who  person- 
ally made  Gen.  Riall  a  prisoner.  The 
British  general  was  brought  to  Scott 
by  Major  Ketohura.  and  directions  were 
given  that  the  distinguished  prisoner  be 
taken  to  the  rear,  and  treated  with  the 
greatest  possible  kindness.  Riall,  badly 
wounded,  lay  some  days  in  the  same 
house  in  Williamsville,  with  Scott, 
yet  more  severely  crippled. 

'J?he  latter  as  a  special  favor,  obtained 
permission  from  our  government,  for 
Riall  to  return  to  England  on  parole, 
and  the  same  permission  fur  Riall's 
friend.  Major  Wilson,  also  badlv 
wounded,  captureii  at  Chippawa.  Such 
favors  were,  however,  at  that  time  only, 
granted  by  the  A  aiericau  government; 
Sir  George  Prevost  and  the  British 
ministry  never  consented  to  place  on 
parole  or  to  exohanga  a  prisoner  after 
the  Americans  confined  the  23  hostages 
in  1813. 

Ill  this  sanguinary  contest  the  total 
loss  of  the  British  was  878.  Generals 
Drummond  and  Riall  were  among  the 
wounded.  The  .American  loss  in  killed, 
wounded   and   missing     was  860.    Of 


lit]  imii  <  1 1  •  I 


■iJlitett.x» 


^i*,U, 


ling  ic 
ged  at 
in  Bip- 
m  and 
Bed  be- 
ll. He 
is  post 
juarter, 
IvHuced 
close 
the 
bll  with 
number 

egiment 
T>erM)u- 
r.  The 
to  Scott 
JUS  were 
sonev  be 
with  the 
ill,  badly 
the  same 
I     Boott, 

obtained 
lent,  for 
1  parole, 
r  Biall'a 
3  badly 
a.  Bach 
ime  only, 
ernmeut; 
I  British 
place  on 
uer  after 
hostages 

the  totfil 
Generals 
lonff  the 
iu  killed, 
860.    Of 


these  11  officers  were  killed,  among 
wiiom  were  Major  McFarland  and 
Oaptain  Bitchie.  J^'ifty-six  officers  were 
wounded,  amon-j^  whom  were  Generals 
Brown  and  Scott-  it  was  not,  however, 
until  towards  the  olc^'^  of  tbo  action  that 
the  two  otHcers  highest  iu  command 
■  were  disabled.  Gen.  Brown,  on  receiv- 
ing his  wound,  gave  notice  to  Gen.  Bip- 
ley  that  he  was  left  in  oommaud,  but  or- 
dered him  to  collect  the  wounded,  re- 
move the  artillerj'  and  retire  to  the 
camp  at  Chippawa. 

General  Brown  iu  his  official  report 
*teid.  "  While  retiring  from  the  Held,  I 
saw  and  felt  that  the  victory  was  com 
picte  on  our  part,  if  proper  measures 
were  promptly  adopted  to  secure  it. 
The  exhaustion  of  the  men  was,  however, 
such  as  made  some  refreshments 
necessary.  They  particularly  required 
water." 

Unfortunately  the  Americans  lost  the 
trophies  of  their  hard-earued  victory 
as  no  means  of  removing  the  captured 
artillery  were  at  hand,  and  General 
Bipley  was  obliged  to  leave  it  on  the 
field  of  battle.  The  British  on  learning 
that  the  Americans  bad  abandoned  the 
field,  re-occupied  it  immediately,  and 
taking  advantage  of  this  oiroiuuHtanoe, 
their  utiioers  in  their  dispatches  to  their 
government  boastfully  olainfked  the  vic- 
tory. 

The  world  has  seen  mightier  armies 
movod  oyer  more  memorable  fields  and 
followed  by  louder  reports  of  the  far 
resouuri.ingtrumpet  of  fame;  a  bloodier 
scene  tor  those  engaged,  a  severer  test 
of  courage  and  of  discipline,  or  one 
whose  action  wao  more  closely  associated 
with  the  sublime  and  beautiful  in  nature 
the  world  has  not  seen.     The  armies 


70. 


were  drawn  ont  near  tbe  shores  of  that 
rapid  river  whose  onrreut  miugles  lake 
with  lake,  and  hard  by  was  tliiit  cata- 
ract whose  world  of  waters  rushes  ()ver 
the  precipice,  and,  rii  ^lin}?,  roars  into 
the  sjnlf  below.  The  ceaseless  spray 
rises  like  incense  to  the  Eternal  Fatlier. 
The  beams  of  snn,  moon  and  stars  fall 
ceosely  on  that  spray  and  are  sent  back 
in  many  color  ^d  hues  to  the  source  of 
light.  80  it  WAS  when  wheeling  into  the 
tield  of  battle  the  slant  niys  of  the  set- 
ting sun  returning  from  the  si)rtty  en- 
circled the  advancing  oiilunui  with  rain- 
bow colors.  The  sun  went  down,  to 
many  an  eye,  to  raise  no  more  ou 
earth. 

With  the  darkness  came  the  greater 
ragi'  of  battle— charge  after  charge  was 
mode.  For  a  time  the  faint  beams  of 
the  moon  struggled  with  the  smoke  and 
gave  a  little  light  to  the  c«)mbatautB:  but 
it  was  but  little.  The  moon  itself  be- 
came obscured,  and  'no  light  sivve  the 
rapid  Hashes  :>f  musket  and  cannon 
pierced  the  heavy  clouds. 

The  tight  raged  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night.  From  the  height  on  the  ridge 
the  battery  of  the  enemy  still  poured  its 
deadly  lire. 

It  was  then  that  the  gallant  Miller 
Baid:  "I  will  try."  It  whs  then  that 
Hoott  piloted  his  coliiiun  through  the 
darkness  to  Lundy's  Lane.  It  was  then 
that  the  brave  regiment  charged  to  the 
cannon's  mouth.  The  battery  was  tak- 
en and  victory  rests  with  tbe  American 
army. 

It  was  midnight.  The  battle  is  ended. 
The  army  faint  and  weary  drags  itself 
from  the  field.  The  well  s  ik  to  their 
couch  to  dretim  of  homes  far  away. 
The  wounded  groan   in   their    painful 


■V"r 


1^4 


i'yi'' 


M 


_  71. 

hospital.  The  dead  rent  until  the 
iBBt  trumpet  shall  siimmon  them  to  the 
last  array.  The  warrior  with  his  gar- 
ments rolled  in  blood  has  left  the  scene 
of  struggles,  pain  and  death.  Some 
kind  friend  may  have  sought  him  wheth> 
er  dead  or  alive;  but  the  war-drum  has 
ceased  to  beat;  the  artillery  ceased  to 
roll;  and  now  *hp,  Hnlemn,  sonor<>-  %  fall 
of  Niagara  it>  to  the  dead  their  requiem, 
and  to  the  living  their  song  of  glory. 


prummond  at    |rt.  grie. 


Gen.  Brown  had  beeu  taken  wounded 
from  the  field  of  Liindy's  Lane.  To- 
wards thi  close  of  the  battle,  Scott,  also 
twice  wounded,  was  borne  out  of  the 
action. 

General  Brown  did  not,  however,  at 
once  resign  the  command.  He  direct- 
ed Gen.  Ripley  to  return  to  camp,  after 
bringing  o£f  the  dead,  the  wounded  and 
the  artillery.  But  unfortunately,  for 
the  want  of  horses,  harness  and  drag- 
ropes,  the  captured  artillery  of  the 
enemy  was  left  behind— a  circumstance 
mnoh  regretted. 

The  American  army,  now  reduced  to 
1,000  men,  fell  back  to  Chippawa,  and 
there  converted  the  works  thrown  up 
by  the  enemy  into  defenses  against 
him.  On  the  report  that  Gen.  Drum- 
mond,  at  the  head  of  5.0(X)  British,  was 
fast  approaching,  the  American  camp 
was  hastily  broken  up.  its  position  aban- 
doned, and  a  retreat  made  to  Fort 
Erie,  where  they  strongly  intrenched 


llli^lllMMMliJiailli^^ 


¥^ 


72. 


themselves  by  making  snob  defences  SR 
was  in  their  power.  On  the  5th  of 
August,  by  order  of  Gen.  Brown,  Brigo- 
dier-General  Gaines  arrived  from 
Saokett'8  Harbor  and  took  the  com- 
mand. ^  , 

On  the  3rd  of  August,  General 
Drummond  appeared  in  the  neigbor- 
hood  of  Fort  Erie,  and  flndingitimpossi- 
ble  to  carry  it  by  storm,  was  compelled  to 
commence  a  rejjular  siege.  So  between 
the  3rd  and  12th  of  August,  Drummond 
employed  himself  in  endeavoring  to  out 
oft  the  American's  provisions,  hnd  in  the 
preparatory  measures  of  opening 
trenches  and  establishing  batt-  ries.  On 
the  morning  of  the  13th  ne  commenced 
a  cannonade  and  bombardment.  This 
was  continued  through  the  day.  renew- 
ed on  the  morning  of  the  I4th  and  con- 
tinued until  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
but  without  any  serious  injury  to  the 
American  ranks.  On  that  day  General 
Gaines  doubled  hiH  guards  and  prepar- 
ed for  an  assault.  At  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  15th  a  heavy  British 
column  was  found  approaching  To«'- 
Bon's  battery,  stationed  at  the  northwest 
angle  of  the  works,  where  it  was  received 
by  the  cannon  of  Towson  and  the  mus- 
ketry under  the  gallant  Major  Wood, 
and  WHS  etfectually  repulsed. 

A  second  «ttack  was  also  repulsed, 
when  the  Brii..dh  column  changed  its 
direction  and  attacked  the  western 
angle,  with  just  as  little  success. 

In  the  mean  time  the  center  column 
under  Colonel  Drummond,  after  a  sca- 
gaiuary  condiot,  succeeded  in  scaling 
the  walls  and  taking  possession  of  the 
exterior    ba.stionb     of     the   old     fort. 

While  this  tavage  man  was  denying 
mercy  to  the  conquered  Americans,  a 


%■<■„ 

'i-^ 


c- 


Bm 


quantity  of  cartridges  in  a  small  stone 
building  within  the  bastion,  ext>loded 
scattering  death  and  oonfusioB  around 
and  expelliugthe  British  from  the  fort. 
They  suffered  severely,  having  left  be- 
hind a  large  number  of  killed,  wounded 
and  prisoners.  According  to  the  Brit- 
ish uiHcial  report  their  loss  on  this  day 
was  67  killed,  of  whom  were  Colonels 
Scott  and  Drnmmond,  313  wounded  and 
639  missing.  The  total  loss  of  the 
Americans  was  but  84. 

In  fine,  the  British  were  mosf  gallant- 
ly and  effectually  defeated  in  their  at- 
tempt to  storm  Fort  Erie. 

After  this  repulse,  both  armies  re- 
mained in  a  state  of  inactivity  for  some 
time.  General  Gaines  having  been 
wounded  by  the  bursting  of  a  shell,  the 
command  again  devolved  on  General 
Bipley. 


gortie  l^rom  ^t.  Grie. 


On  the  2nd  of  September,  General 
Brown,  though  not  yet  fully  recovered 
from  the  wounds  received  at  Lundy's 
Lane,  resumed  the  command  of  his  di- 
vision. After  afuU  examinption  of  the 
topographical  position  of  Drummond's 
lines,  ho  thought  that  a  bold  and  vigor- 
ous sortie  would  be  more  than  mere 
defence  in  relievi'^i?  the  American  army 
from  the  siege  of  the  enemy.  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  morning  of  the  17th  of 
September  General  Brown,  paraded  his 
troops,  to  the  number  of  about  2,000,  in 
nearly  equal  proportion  of  regulars 
and  militia,  for  a  sortie  on  the  enemy's 


74. 


works.  The  army  of  Bir  Oordon 
DrumAaond  htid  then  infeated  Fort 
Krio  for  i5  daye.  During  that  time 
they  had  erected  reKnlAi*  lines  aud  bat-  ■ 
terioM.  Tbey  had  iMjmbarded  th» 
American  defences  ujkI  made  an  nnHiio- 
cee>Bf ul  attatik  upon  till  I  I .  At  this  time 
they  had  erected  two  batter ieH  and  were 
about  two  open  a  third.  Their  forces 
Wi  H  divided  into  tliree  brijicads,  each 
of  hich  in  turn  guarded  the  batteries, 
Willie  the  other  two  were  encamped 
about  two  miles  distant,  out  of  reach  of 
theArnerioan  cannon,  but  near  euouj^h 
to  support  the  troO|>H  ut  the  batteries. 

In  this  puHition  of  afiairs  General 
Brown  detirmined  to  storm  the  bat- 
teriefl.  destroy  the  cannon  aud  defeat 
the  brigade.  Ho  at  2.:i'>  p.  m.  of  the 
17tb  of  August  QenerHl  Porter  left  the 
camp  at-  the  head  of  n    detachment  to 

Ssnetrate  a  passage  thr<i  i<;h  the  woods, 
eing  perfectly  acquainted  with  tho 
ground,  he  with  hiu  men,  tr<Ml  nileutly 
and  oirouitously  ulong.  when,  arriving 
at  their  destined  point,  they  rushed  upou 
the  enemy  and  h<  Huccesaful  was  the  ea» 
terprisu  that  in  W  minutes  batteries 
No.  2  and  3  were  in  the  posses- 
Mion  of  the  Americans  with  two  block 
houses.  Soon  after  battery  No.  1  wafl 
abandoned  and  the  magazine  of  No. 
3  blown  up.  The  cannon  were  spiked 
or  dismantled  and  the  garr  inou  taken 
prisoners,  but  the  brave  Colonels  Gib- 
son and  Wood  had  fallen  at  the  head  of 
their  columns. 

So  great  was  the  British  loss  that  it 
became  apparent  that  tho  siege  of  Fort 
Erie  oould  not  be  protracted  with  any 
hop'  of  snooess. 

■    Accordingly,  Lieut. -General    Drum- 
moud  broke  up   his  camp  during  the 


rJ 


^ 


*;* 


^ 


k 


night  oi  til  31iit  of  B«ptember  nnd  re- 
turned  to  liia  iutrenobnientB  behind 
Ohiiipawa  (Jreek. 

Soon  after  this,  tb'e  arhviU  of  Oenerikl 
Izard  plnued  the  Arucrionua  un  a  footing - 
which  oDoe  mure  enabled  them  tu  oom- 
menoo  ofiensive  operati'  m;  and  leaving 
Fort  Eri<^  in  ooiuuiand  <>t  Colonel  Uina> 
man,  General  Brown  n^iu  advanced 
towardR  Chippawa.  Near  this  |>liioe 
an  affii! '  oooured  on  the  2(Hli  of  October 
in  whioli  Colonel  BIh^  "11,  with  a  <<  taoh- 
nient  of  1,0<X)  men,  gained  an  advantage 
over  a  detaohment  of  1,200,  under  the 
Marqnisof  Tweedale. 

On  the  10th  of  November  the  Ameri> 
ioan  army  abandoned  and  destroyed 
Fort  Erie,  orotmed  the  river  and  retired 
into  wint<:-r  quarters  at  iiuffalo.when  the 
war  on  the  N  iagara  Frontier  was  in  faot 
ended. 


Resume. 


During  the  vear  1814  there  had  been  a 
Buocesxiort  of  ohliiant  military  itolious, 
and  mnch  ooura^e,  skill  and  energy 
exhibited.  Taken  nil  in  all,  no  cam- 
paign in  American  L.atory  has  displayed 
more  of  the  qnalitieu  of  mind  and  body, 
art  aiid  science,  which  are  more  to  the 
character  of  a  true  soldier  or  the  su  eras 
of  an  army  in  action.  In  a  little  less 
than  three  months  the  army  of  Biail 
and  Drummond,  twice  riiiewed  and  re- 
inforced by  troops  from  Europe,  had 
been  defeated  in  four  p  t:ched  battles. 

In  the  descriptions  we  have  given  of 
the  severHl,  the  numbers  engaged  on 
either  side  are  stated  in  eaon  one,  ae 


iniiiiiiinMBMilifMi 


76. 


vf  •:{.■■■   .». 


M 


near  ua  Hio  mntorinis  proaervud  by  his* 
tory  will  allow  iik  to  etitimnte. 

'tiie  followiiiK  ti»'.»l»  "-Ml  show  the 
totnl  ioHS  iu  killed,  woiiiuled  iiiid  priKoii- 
et'8  titken  by  eaoh  army    in  the  diit'er' 

eut  baUIea : 

Amerlonn  Ilrltlah 
UM8.        Lom, 
Dattio  of  Chlppawa,  foiivht 

JiilySth.  Wu 388  607 

Dattto    <if     [iiiiidy'g  Ijane, 

foiiKlit  July  aotb,  1»U 880  878 

AmuuU  (III   Ktirt.  Erie,    Au- 

KUHt  15tli,  18U    84  815 

Sortie     from     Kort     Brio, 

8(>pt«inbt)r  17th,  18U  611  BOO 

1783         3100 

If  the  total  number  of  troopa  ensfnged 
in  tbu  Ht^veriil  battleH  on  both  Hido8  wiifl 
abont  l2,00<i,  it  follows  tbnt  utiirly  one 
half  were  nmon;;  the  killed,  wounded 
and  prim>nera,  which  is  a  loss  exceeding, 
in  proportion,  that  of  the  most  bloody 
buttles  of  Napoleon. 


Il^urning  of  the  QaroUne. 


Althongh  England  liad  governed  the 
Giinadiis  with- preat  moderation,  yet  in 
1837  by  the  instigation  of  W.  L.  Mc- 
Kenzie,  a  party  arose,  who  claiming 
iudependeuoe,  passed  from  secession  to 
armed  revolt.  And  when  the  flame 
of  iumirrectiou  was  kindled  in  Canada, 
it  was  not  arrested  by  a  mere  line  of 
jurisdiction;  but  it  reached  and  agitated 
the  frontier  inhabitants  of  the  United 
States,  along  the  border  from  the 
hills  of  Vermont  to  the  Huron  of  the 
northwest.    On  the  frontier,  the  oitizeus 


m 


'<;>!'?* '?i 


V* 

vnrolled  tknmselvea  m  CanadiMi  patrioto 
or  Hymiwtlii/.urH  until  maay  of  Uie 
iiihuhitAtitH  catiablo  »(  l>e»riaK  itriua 
were  iHrufkHfltKl  friouds  aiKl  Kl>eu(>rM  of 
tbe  G«iuMli»u  movomeut.  ThuuBaiidfl 
,inet  in  IinIkos  hIouh  tho  border,  uutlis 
of  Bticreey  were  tMlmiuiHt^rud,  iMrinoiplea 
spiwiuted,  Keuoral  uud  Htaff  offloera 
oliofKMi,  aiid.  at  lontit  tor  Upiwr  Canada, 
a  proviHiouiilgoverntoitHt  formed.  The 
Prenideut  of  tbe  UuiUxl  Stubes  iwued 
Lin  iirodamation  oiijoiuiug  all  good  ctti- 
senu  to  (AiHerve  the  Btr).>)t«Ht  neutrality 
towards  tlio  Brititib  {•roviucos,  but  it 
luid  little  effect. 

Tii«>  arniM  iu  the  hauda  of  iUo  oitizous 
and  even  tliose  iu  the  Btatu  araeoals 
witbin  reach  of  the  borderH,  were  houu 
seized  or  purloined,  thuq  affording 
«quipuieHtw  to  the  Oaundian  patriots. 
A  Mr.  Vau  BeuaHellear,  with  Moine  700 
follow'drs  oroHHed  front  HobloHHer,  two 
iuiles  above  Niagara  Fails,  and  took 
t'osaeaHion  of  Navy  lolaud  on  tho  Urit^ 
iuh  Hide  of  Niagara  River. 

This  idle  invasion,  though  uiiitupor. 
taut  to  the  Gauadus,  was  not  without  its 
consequences  iu  history.  It  wtM  follow- 
■ed  by  ii  very  Herious  iuoident,  which  ex- 
cited deep  feeliu^  in  the  United  States, 
and  was  the  subject  of  muob  diplorantio 
correspoudeuoe. 

A  small  Hteamer  called  the  Oaroliue, 
which  was  built  at  CharlestoB,  8.  0.,  ia 
1822,  and  had  a  ciMHtoity  of  46  tons,  waa 
brought  to  New  York,  theuoe  by  river 
and  canal  to  Lake  Ontario,  where  she 
was  emi>loyed  for  some  time  as  a  ferry 
boat.  She  was  then  tak«u  through  the 
Welland  Canal  to  Lake  Erie,  and  em- 
ployed ui»ou  the  Detroit  River.  In  the 
summer  of  1837  she  was  seized 
lor   smuggUag,    takes  to  Buffalo  and 


-.sold.    It  vtM  then  (hat  she  wan  engaged 

by  Van  Rensselear  to  act  as  a  ferry-boat  ,,;-•-,» 

between  Sohlosaer    and    Navy  Island.  ,;  '/^i 

But  tLa  very  night  the  Caroline  com-  ;    '^.^ 

menoed  her  voyages  between  these  two  "     .  ■  -' 
points,  one  hundred  and   lifty    ,4rraed 
men  from  the  Canada  side,  in  nve  boats 

with  muffled  oars,  proceeded  to  Bohlos-  ^ 

ser,  cut  the    Carolii  e  loose  fro:ia  her  "_  > 

moorings,  and  setting  her  on  fire   let  ii -^f 

her  drift  over  the  falls.    She  happened  '..■.:-;.:) 

to   be   full   of   idle   peopie,   including  Xh' 

boys,  not  connected  with  Van  Hensse-  >»  v 
lear,  but  who  had  been  attracted  to  the 

frontier  l)y  ths  rumor  of  war,  and  who  ; 

hsd  simply  begged  a  night's  lodging.  _- 1, 

One  man  named  Durfee  was  killed  and  ^ 

several  others    wounded.      When  this  ^1  ~ 

occurred  a  flame  of  excitement  went  up  -     ■ 

throughout  the  interior  of  the  United  -  -  j^ 

States.    ^JChe   sentiment    of   patriotism  »     *Hu 

and    the     feeling     of     rwenge    wero  .       .  a 

frequently  mingled  together,  and  the  - 

p«aoe  of  this  couniry,  and  perhaps  of  all  "* ,, 

other  civilized  nations,   was  threatened  |^;' 

by  this  act  of  outrage  committed  on  '  he  ^^ 

(jaroliue.  <Sv 

At  that  time  the  question  was  askod:  ;' 

"Why  did  the  English  pass  Navy  Island  'i  'i^ 

in    Canada    where    the     patriots     had  ■■-4'* 

hoisted  their  Qags  and  wait«d  for  t)>em,  , '  .-> 

and  attack  an  unarmed   boa*    in  New  ';-•  ■ 

York  State?"  At  the  anniversary  dinner  '  -y- 
in  Toronto,  in  honor  of  the  "heroes" 
who  defeated  the  Yankees,  the  Hon. 
John  Emsley,  a  member  of  the  Head 
Government  was  present  and  said: 
"After  a  desperate  engagement  of  seme 
minutes  she  was  fired  and  rode  the 
waves  a  blazing  beacon  of  infamy,  until 
she  sank  into  the  abyss  below.  (Loud 
cheers. )  GeuUemoti  I  glbry  in  having 
been  one  of   ohose  that  destroyed  thia 


J 


^^^^^ 


Itati 


1 


;/'nS 


■.  ■%•;■ 


79. 


bo»t."  The  Moutreal  Herald  of 
December  29,  1338,  said:  "Coi.  Holmero 
nud  the  officers  of  bis  brigade  held  their 
first  rugitneutal  mona  dinner  at  Orr's 
Hotel.  The  room  was  decorated  with 
traueparenoies  of  Her  Majesty,  the 
Duke  of  Wellington,  Brittama,  the 
steamer  Caroline  in  flames  going  over 
the  Falls  of  Niagara,  and  a  globe  with 
the  motto:  'The  British  Empire,  on 
which  the  Bitn  never  sets.'  Sir  AUau 
MoNab  was  toasted  and  many  a  joke 
was  cracked  at  the  expense  of  the  nu- 
fortuuate  Americans  on  board  the 
Caroline." 

The  Caroline  was  destroyed  Decern, 
ber  29th,  1837,  and  the  news  reached 
Washington  January  4th.  A  Cabinet 
meeting  was  called  and  Oenfiral  Scott 
was  told  that  blood  had  been  tfpilied 
'and  he  roust  hasten  to  th')  frontier. 
I'uU  power  was  give  him  to  call  for  mil- 
itia, to  put  himself  in*-  oommnnioation 
with  the  United  States  district 
attorneys,  marehalls  and  collectors  in 
order,  turongh  them,  to  e  ,  )rce  the  act 
of  neutrality,  the  goiod  faiih  pledged  to 
Great  Britain  by  treaty,  and  to  defend 
our  own  territory,  if  necepsary  agaiusfc 
invasion,  or  to  maintain  peace  throngb- 
out  the  borders. 

In  1812  Scott  appeared  upon  the  same 
theatre  ab  the  leader  of  battalions  and 
the  victor  of  battles.  But  now,  rhetoric 
and  diplomacy  were  to  be  his  principal 
weapons,  his  countrymen  and  frieuda 
his  object  of  conquest,  and  a  little  cor- 
respondence with  thoBritiHh  auth'^HtJos 
beyond  the  line,  as  an  episode  to  the 
whole. 

In  order  to  shorten  this  narrative  we 
will  not  slop  to  give  a  history  of  the 
wild  ruiiora  that   were   afloat   at   that 


ir-H 


■HWJF 


80. 


time,  agitating  the  minds  of  the  people 
aad  keepiug  tuem  iu  a  constaut  state  of 
excitement,  causing  them  tu  get  up  iu 
the  dead  hours  of  the  uight  to  iiee  from 
Borne  imagiuary  foe. 

Not  mau^  days  after  the  burning  of 
the  Garohue,  another  steamer,  the 
Barcelona,  was  out  out  the  ice  iu  Buf- 
falo harbor,  and  taken  down  the  Niagara 
river  to  be  offered  to  the  patriots,  who 
were  still  on  Navy  Island.  Scott  wished 
to  compel  them  to  discontinue  their 
criminal  enterprise.  He  also  desired  to 
have  them,  on  returning  within  our 
jurisdiction,  arrested  by  the  marshal!, 
who  was  always  with  him.  For  this 
purpose,  he  sent  an  agent  to  hire  the 
Barcelona  for  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  before  the  patriots  could  get 
means  to  pay  for  her,  or  find  sureties  to 
idemify  her  owners  in  case  of  her  cap- 
ture or  destruction  by  the  British.  He 
succeeded  in  all  these  objects.  The 
Barcelona  was  taken  btusk  f  >  Buffalo, 
and  as  she  slowly  ascended  i.gainat  the 
current  on  the  American  side  of  Grand 
Island,  three  armed  British  schooners, 
besides  batteries  on  land  were  in  posi- 
tion, as  the  day  before,  to  sink  her  as 
she  came  out  from  behind  the  island. 
On  the  16th  of  January,  Scott  and  Gov. 
Marcy  stood  on  the  American  shore 
opposite  that  point,  watching  events. 
The  smoke  of  the  approachiug  boat 
could  be  seen  in  the  distance,  and  the 
purpose  of  the  British  was  perfectly 
evident  in  all  thair  movements.  Tho 
batteries  on  our  side  were  promptly 
put  into  position.  The  matches  were 
lighted.  All  was  ready  to  return 
the  ttre  of  the  British.  There 
was  a  crisis. 


; 


rioai 


■^  The  day  before  this,  when  it  was  sup- 
'^osed  the  Navy  Island  people  were 
ooming  up  the  same  channel  in  other 
craft,  and  before  it  was  known  that  the 
Barcelona  had  uooepted  his  offered 
enKaffement,  Scott  wrote  on  his  knee 
and  dispatched  by  an  aide-de-oump  the 
loliowiug  note: 

Hkadquaktbbs  Eastkrn  Division  1 

U.   ti.    A«M¥. 

(two  miles  below  Black  Rook)  ( 
January  15tb,  1838.    j 
To  thcCommarulHr  of  (he  Armed  JBrit- 

%8h  Veaaela  in  the  Niagara: 
8iB-  "     ;; 

With  his  Excellency  the  Gov-' 
ernor  ot  New  York,  ^ho  has  troops  at 
hand,  we  are  here  to  enforce  neutrality 
of  the  United  States,  and  to  protect  our 
soil  and  waters  from  violation.  The 
proper  oiyil  authorities  are  also  present 
to  arrest,  if  practicable,  the  leaders  of 
the  expedition  on  foot  against  Upper 
Canada. 

Under  these  oircnmstances  it  gives  me 
pam  to  perceive  the  armed  vessels  men- 
tioned .anchored  in  our  waters,  with 
probable  intention  to  fire  upon  that 
expedition  moving  in  the  same 
waters. 

Unless  the  expedition  should  Hirst 
attack— in  which  case  we  shall  interfere 
—we  shall  be  obliged  to  consider  a  dis- 
charge  of  shot  or  shell  from  or  into  our 
waters,  from  the  armed  schooners  of 
her  Majesty,  as  an  act  seriously  com- 
promising the  neutrality  of  the  two 
nations.  I  hope,  therefore,  that  no 
Buoh  unpleasant  incident  may  occur. 

I  have  the  honor  to  remain  &o., 

WiNDFIELD  SOOTT. 


DMto 


■ntn 


fS^HfiBBUnSt^mf, 


m, 


The  wiuie   iutiiiiiiti<  ' 

Miul  HXpluitied  tku  iiexj 
ttty  lUlh,  ki  u  oiipluiii     i 
lu'iuy,  wild  had  oooaHiuii  ti  i     i 

Bciutt  ou  other  businetu*,  aud  who  iiu- 
jiii'diately  I'otmned  ft  wus  just  theu 
ilinl  Ihu  MiiiM  Ifjiiii  iiKivid  lip  the  ciir- 
ruiit  tif  Ihii  Nhigftiii.  Thn  itaiii){»n  mi 
either  fliiiH  wnff  iMijiiiiitl,  Iho  iimti'hi  » 
lii^htedqiid  tlioiiHiiiidHHloud  In  hi|n|ii  |iho, 
OnScott'H  iiiile  uiid  liiH  imrsoniil  iisBiU'- 
uuL'o,  ttloiiu  dH|H!ndi)d  the  miestioii  of 
puaco  or  wur.  Hii|ii)iiy  lui^Ho  usHiir 
anoo»  hud  thoir  just  offtjut.  The  flurcu- 
loiia  paused  ah)nk^.  The  iiritinh  did  not 
fire.  T'ho  riiatolieH  w'-'ro  extiuguiMhcd; 
the  two  iiiitidiis,  guidful  by  wieu  ooiui- 
sei  reaiimed  their  iisiiiil  way,  ai»d  war's 
wild  alarms  were  htiBued  filtu  the  whis- 
peiH  or  i)eiice. 

The  patriots  evacuutej  Navy  fsjmid 
oatho  IfTth  iiiHt.,  and  an  soon  m  \Ut>y 
lauded,  Vau  ItuiiHfielaDr  and  IiIm  ut'Houl- 
ates  were  arreHted,  HH  Huott  Haid  tiiey 
abdiild  bo,  iu  his  note  writteu  u  f(!W 
hnnrs  previoua  to  the  arrefits.  A  Mr. 
MeLeod  was  aJBo  grrested  and  tried  by 
a  United  Htates  court,  for  the  muidur  of 
Durfee,  bnt  was  acquitted 

As  small  a  place  as  this  iucideut  may 
oconpy  in  historjj^,  it  was  a  critical 
mumeut  iu  the  affairs  of  natioUN.  Had 
one  British  guu  beeu  tired,  aud  uincli 
more  had  the  Barcelona  b«ou  dtmtroyod 
no  authority  nor  ioflueiifin  would  have 
restrained  our  excited  pu^idttilon  from 
taking  up  arms,  and  an  iiii|T»uiMjd)UtiKl 
war  would  have  been  the  tmitii  U 
would  have  beeu  a  w«r  fro»M  mu 
incident,  and  not  from  a  uatioiitti  ^ou 
troversy 


mpi^^^- 


T;#^/f 


ySittlm 


'■:... -JK. 


iwiiiit'iaMjiiai 


kpofll.  I 

beuind  tin:     int.',->l<i> m  o     i;iuiU       niiil 

(iffloora  present  were  applnudiug.    Oapt. 
htttil'j/iii»i,  )li<i   iioveiJMt.   ruso  and  pro- 
iMiBoif  aa  a   voliiiilKljf  Unmt,     "Gaptara 
Utuw  iiiid  Ilia  brave  ouriiimiiloiiM  who 
cnt  ont  the  tJurdlina."    It  waa  received 
wU)i  great  applonne     On  May  20,  1838, 
the  stouiiil)(jfif   lui    Itobert    Peel    waH 
burnt  at  Frouuli  ureiik  hh  mniv'  jetalia- 
tior  ct  the  Caroline  masaaore.     P'>  Jives 
were  taken  or  even  tbreateued.     ilitM 
wuajaataeveu  daya  after  Mr.  Htuvno- 
sou,    American    niiiiiater     in   (londun, 
had  dotuanded  aatitjfiiotiou  /or  tlio  Oaru- 
line.      To  show   how    th"   tuii    which 
AuitiriitHnHliiiiked  npon  as  i^iotbi'K  bnl 
i  biwti  liiilrolioiy,    wflH   reoejvcd   nii    tho 
utiier  aide,  It  hiuv   mi;  aitjd 
Drew  waa  raiacd  to  llie  iiiitb 
of  lliu  loyn'    lavy  and  ooiui 
Lake  Erie.       [oNan  wua  bin/ 
received  royal  Uianka.   uud  Hir    ihiUu 
(Jolborue  waaoit^ated  Lord  Heatou. 
i  The  Lowiatou  'feleHrnnh  of  Friday, 
l|lrll   IR  *4iill,    printtd    the   followiiiift 
i1i«liii  MiimIhI,  liiio  a  ouptain  on    I<hIii| 
Ontario,  and  one  of  the    murderers  of 
Durfee,  haa  preaented  a  petition  to  the 
XJ{>por   Gauudian    Parliament    prayiaj; 
that  land  Iw  granted  the  boarders  of 
-the  Caroline  for  a  ronumention."    Can- 
ada, perhaps,  is  the  only  country  where 
mindorers  are »"'  ouipenaed. 


^^^^-^^'^^'•^-^"^^^ 


iijimiitii 


Mii 


•'■""i^"A^' 


I 
I 

3 


v;,; 


84. 


^he   permit  of  H^^^^o^'Cf 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  18th  of  Jnne, 
1823,  a  tall,  well  built  and  handsome 
young  man,  dressed  iu  a  long  loose 
govrn  or  cloak  of  a  chocolate  color,  was 
Been  passing  through  the  principal 
street  of  the  village  of  Niagara  Falls. 
Ho  had  nuder  his  arm  a  roll  of  blankets, 
n  flute,  a  iK>rt  folio,  and  ii  large  book;  in 
his  right  hand  he  carried  a  small  etiok. 
He  advanced  towards  the  Eagle  hotel, 
(which  is  now  part  of  the  International) 
attracting  the  gaze  of  visitors  and  others 
bv  the  singularity  of  his  appearance. 
With  elastic  step  and  animated  motion, 
he  passed  tbe  hotel;  he  heeded  not  the 
inquiring  gaze  of  the  idle  multitude, 
hut  firm  and  erect  he  bent  his  course  to 
a  more  lowly,  but  respectable,  inn.  He 
at  once  entered  into  Htipnlation»  with 
tao  landlord  that  the  room  which  he  oo- 
o:5pied  should  be  solely  his  own,  that  he 
Hhould  have  his  table  to  himself,  and 
that  only  certain  portions  of  his  fare 
Hhonld  be  provided  by  the  landlady- 
He  made  the  usnal  enquiries  about  tbo 
fulls,  and,  among  other  things, wished  t<j 
know  if  there  was  a  rending  room  or 
library  in  the  village.  Being  informed 
that  there  was  a  library,  he  immediately 
repaired  to  the  individual  who  kept  it; 
dt'fMJsited  three  dollars  and  took  ab{)ok; 
purclMiHfd  a  violin;  borrowed  music 
books;  iulormed  the  librarian  that  his 
name  wan  Francis  Abbott;  that  he  should 
remain  a  fi-.y/.'  days  at  the  Falls,  and  con- 
versed Oil  iiiiiii  subjects  with  great 
(tafie  and  ttbility. 

The  uoxtday  he  retxrne^  to  the  same 
pcjisou  aiitlj  iiSfnitistiii  Isrgclj  ijpon  the 


r«SfS 


Si 


■Sf<i 


i^ 


:^»mm'*^mw,m 


pa. 


ine, 

onie 
K)He 

\VU8 

iip'il 

hIIh. 

Kite, 

{;  in 

;ick.  if 

otol,  V 

)nftl)  i 

;her» 

kuce. 

tiou, 

i  the 

tilde,  > 

se  to? 
He 

wit)i 

e  ofj- 

at  he 
aad 
fare 

lady- 
b  tbo 
led  tu 
m  or 
rined 
lately 
pt  it; 
book; 
oausio 
X  hiR 
bunld 
1  cou- 
great 

same 
!«  the 


w9 


I 


,1- 


85. 


eurronnding' scenery,  the  oftPcades  and 
catariiotit,  and  »U  oi  that  Hublitne  speo- 
tacle,  the  falls.  la  all  his  travels,  he 
said,  he  had  never  met  with  anything  to 
compare  with  this  combination  of  all 
that  was  great  and  beautiful.  There 
was  nothing  so  grant^  au  Niagara  Falls, 
except  Mount  Mtna,  during  an 
eruption. 

Heinijaired  how  long  travellers  nsnal- 
ly  remained,  and  being  informed  that 
many  stayed  only  one  day,  he  observed 
that  he  would  stay  at  len«t  a  week, 
and  farther  remarked;  "Oau  it  be 
that  there  are  those  who  come  to  this 
place  and  leave  it  in  one  day !  I  am  as- 
tonished that  persons  can  be  found  so  lit- 
tle interesk'd  in  these  aut/cnishing  works 
of  nature,  as  to  s|>end  so  short  a  time  in 
passing  around  and  beholding  them. 
As  well  might  a  traveller,  iu  one  or  two 
days,  attempt  to  examine  in  detail  the 
various  museums  and  curiosities  iu  Par- 
is, as  to  think  of  becoming  acquaint- 
ed with  the  magiticeut  soenety  of  Niag- 
ara  in  such  a  short  space  of  time." 

In  a  few  days  he  called  again,  and 
again  expatiated  upon  the  resplendent 
scenery  of  tue  Falls,  and  said  he  had 
couclnded  to  remain  a  month,  and  per- 
haps six  months.  A  short  tiine  after. 
he  deterrair>Kd  to  fix  his  abode  on  Goat 
Island,  and  was  desirous  of  erectujg  a 
rustic  hut,  for  ttfl  purpose  of  abstracting 
himcMilf  from  ail  society  and  of  becom- 
ing a  solitary  hermit.  The  proprietor 
of  the  island,  Uftving  become  acquainted 
with  hia  ecoeutricitiea,  was  apprehensive 
that  his  iiermauent  residence  there 
might  be  ahirmiug  to  iitrangera  who  did 
n<»t  know  him.  For  this  rofison  he 
tJionght  it  Bot  proper  so  i^llow  hina  to 


1 


jl 


W:i:h. 


\mmmMML-miiM 


'\'^-A 


■',**'■•' 


86. 


erect  a  bniding  for  snch  ft  pnJ'poge,  but 
permitttid  him  to  ocoupy  u  room  in  the 
only  bouse  on  the  islnucl.  In  tbis  bouse 
tbere  lived  a  family  tbat  furuisbed  bim 
at  times  witb  milk  and  bread.  But  be 
often  dispensed  witb  tbese  uecessarv 
articles,  providing  himself  in  such 
other  wa^s  as  suited  himself,  and  pre- 
paring bis  food  to  suit  bis  own  tiisto. 
He  obsorved  once  to  a  friend  "tbat 
people  in  tbeir  mode  of  living  took  a 
great  deal  of  trouble  and  unnecessary 
pains;  for  my  part  I  have  adopted  a 
method  wbion  I  find  very  pleasant  and 
ngreeabie.  I  take  about  a  pint  of  water 
in  wbioh  I  mix  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
wheat  flour,  to  give  it  a  projter  consis- 
tency, and  then  drink  it  down.  I  find 
tbat  it  answers  every  purimse  and  saves 
me  ranch  labor  and  inconvenience. 

Witb  bis  guitar  by  bis  side,  support- 
ed from  bis  shoulder  with  a  silken  sash 
like  an  eastern  minstrel,  be  would  per- 
nmbnlate  the  banks  of  the  river  to  the 
Whirlpool  and  once  or  twice  he  extend- 
ed his  witlh  to  Lewiston. 

The  inmates  of  the  houses  on  the  way 
would  suddenly  hear  the  sounds  of 
strange  and  unknown  uiMf,  ibe  mnsi- 
mi\n  would  be  observMa  •Mff4^UK  at  a 
diMt«/iAe  in  the  road,  but  w  buou  w  Mot- 
tma  or  spoken  to  be  would  g}id«»  Awvy 
without  giving  any  reply. 

Thn  tMl»nd  mm  Ma  peimm^fA  tma- 
deii'ie  for  nbont  «/««•  vfiar  and  eight 
mouths.  At  length  iUm  tAwHy  remov*?d 
and  to  those  few  with  wboM<  he  held 
oonverso,  he  «ipr«Mwd  his  grt»t.  MUis- 
i'cctiou  tj  )i«Y#  It  •'  ■  '    " 

entirely  alone,      i 

Beemed  to  enjoy  himweJJ  vuit  laacii,  a:  t 
until  another  mtaily  euterud  the  boH'se 


ttififeM&fe 


i^BkAliki 


,1  mm 


•mmi 


He  tUen  oouoliidoj  t.t>  oreol  a  oottupfe  df 
bis  own  ttiid  uh  ho  ooiild  not  biiiltl  uu 
tlio  islttud  bi;  cb<  'd  tbo  hipb  bunk  ui'ur 
to  ftiicl  iu  full  vinv  of  tUe  full,  wbicli  of 
ttll  other  objects,  it  wiw  Iijh  tleli^jht  to 
bohold.  Ho  occupied  his  new  residouce 
for  olHjiit  two  mouths. 

OulFrJdny.   the  10th   of  Jniie,   1831," 
he  went  twice  below  the  bank  of  the  river 
to  bathe  nnd   wuh  seen   to   go    i»    third 
time.    At  two  o'elock  iu  1'  ■  nftoruoou 
the  ferr.vniim  saw  him  iu  wuter— ho 

partly  (loatintj  and  pari,,  rt'stiufj  his 
body  uu  the  shelving  rocks.  As  the 
boat  approached,  to  screen  himself 
from  the  Raze  of  the  passeuKers,  he 
would  draw  his  head  under  the  water. 
It  woH  not  seriously  thoujyht  of  an  bo 
had  often  beou  noticed  iu  the  same  situ- 
ation, and  acting:  iu  the  same  manner. 
When  the  ferry-mau  returned,  Abbott's 
clothes  ymie  anen  on  the  rocks,  whero 
he  usually  deposited  them.  An  exanii- 
nation  was  immediately  made  but  his 
body  could  not  be  found.  It  was  sup- 
posed to  havo  been  carried  away  by  tho 
current. 

"Tlie  greedy  aarite  bad  swept  him  down. 
Far,  far  from  uiurt&l  ken." 

On  the  21  st  of  June  tho  body  waa 
taken  up  at  Fort  Niagara,  was  clearly 
identified,  and  was  on  "the  next  day 
removed  and  decently  interred  in  the 
burial  ground  at  Niagara  Falls  from 
which  place  it  has  since  been  removed 
to  Oukwood  Cemetery  and  a  flne  tomb- 
stone erected  to  his  memory.  Ho  and 
Captain  Webb  now  sleep  side  by 
side. 

Thus  terminated  the  career  of  Francis 
Abbott.  Little,  indeed,  known  to  tlioso 
near  whom  he  spent  the  last  two  years 


Bk 


of  hi8  life.  A  few  gleanings  oan  only  b« 
given.  He  was  an  English  geutlemau 
of  a  reHpeotablo  family.  Hn  was  en- 
dowed with  a  good  miu(<,  highl  oulli- 
vuted  and  wus  pleasing  i  u  his  manners. 
Ho  was  not  only  master  of  several 
languages,  but  deeply  read  i  the  arts 
and  BcTeuceB  and  iwssessed  of  all  the 
minor  aooomplislii  iauts  of  the  finished 
gentleman,  fascinating  oolluqnial  i)ow- 
ors.  and  musio  and  drawing  in  groat 
perfection. 

Many  vf  ars  of  his  life  had  been  8i)ent 
in  travelliDg.  He  had  visited  Egypt 
and  PuleHtine;  had  travelled  through 
Turkey  and  Gree.e,  Italy,  Spain,  Por- 
tugal and  Franco  and  had  resided  for 
considerable  periods  of  time  in  Naples, 
Rome  and  Paris  While  at  Niagara 
Falls  business  brought  him  in  contact 
with  seVbral  iuhnl  .itants.  W  ith  a  few  «)f 
them  ho  would  uetimes  be  sociable; 
to  oil  others  he  w.ia  distant  and  ruserv- 
ed.  His  conversatiuns  wore  ilways 
interesting  and  his  descriptions  of 
oonntries  and  people  glowing  and  ani- 
mated.  But  et  times,  even  with  his 
favored  acquaintances,  he  would  hold  no 
oonverai'  jn;  but  communicated  to 
them  his  wishes  on  a  slate  and  would  re- 
qixestthatnothiuj,'  should  be  said  to  him. 
He  would  frequently  go  nnshaved  for 
two  or  three  months,  often  with  no 
covering  on  his  head  and  his  l»ody  envel- 
oped in  a  blanket;  shunning  all  and 
seeking  the  deepest  solitude  of  the 
island.  He  composed  much  and  gener- 
ally in  Latin;  but  he  destroyed  his 
composition  almost  as  fast  as  he  pro- 
duced them.  When  his  little  cot  was 
examined  hoiies  were  entertained  that 
some  manoBoript  or   memorial,  of  bis 


mttmd:^ab 


^ES 


I 1lli>i 


^v 


%  ^'^^'^^■■'^^■^$'''^^(- 


own  oompuHitioii,  might  be  foaud,  but 
he  left  uotl)iu<;uf  the  kiud.  Hib  faithful 
due  f^nurdudhis  door,  and  it  v,  w-th 
ditnoiiUy  tb  t  he  woh  persuadtn  at»ida 
while  it  \v  1  ipriivid.  Hia  oat  ocuiu>>ed 
his  bed  aud  i  s  ^uiUr.  violiu,  flutes  aud 
mtiHio  were  m  tttert^dubuutiaconfusion. 
There  was  u  portfolio  aud  ^'le  If  uvea  of 
s  lar^e  book,  bat  uot  aw  I,  not  even 
his  uama  was  writteu  iu  auy  of  theoi. 

Many  spots  of  Goat  Islaud  are  ooune. 
orated  to  the  nieniDry  of  Francis  Abl'tt. 
Ou  the  upper  eud  of  t  '  island  ho  <\ 
established  his  walk  aud  it  had  be- 
come troddeu  and  well  tteotiu  ko  that 
on  which  a  sentinel  perforina  his  tour 
of  duty.  Between  Goat  and  Moss 
lalauds  thero  was  embowere(i,  in  hooIu- 
siou  aud  shade, one  of  the  most  ott  inning 
waterfall  <  <>r  cascades  imaginable.  This 
was  his  favorite  retreat  for  bathing. 
There  hi!  resorted  at  all  times  of  thfi 
year.  In  the  coldest  of  weather,  even 
vheu  snow  was  ou  the  grouud,  aud  ice 
in  the  water;  he  oontiiuied  to  bathe  in 
the  Nia;.;^ra. 

On  the  lower  \tremity  of  the  inland 
(here  is  a  brid  to  idadiuz  over  what  are 
o«li«d  the  Tortapin  Books  and  fron^  thia 
bridge  there  extended  a  single  piece 
of  timber,  some  twelve  or  fifteen 
feet  over  the  precipice.  On  this 
it  was  liis  daily  practice  to  walk;  with  a 
quickstep  he  would  pass  the  bridge, 
Hdvanue  ou  the  U  iber  to  the  extreme 
end,  turn  quiokh  ii  his  heel  aud  walk 
baok,  and  oontiuiie  thus  to  walk  for 
Iiours.  Hometiiues  he  would  let  himself 
down  at  the  ond  of  tho  timber  and  hang 
under  it  by  his  bands  and  feel  for  15  or 
80  miuutes  at  a  time  aud  this  over  u 
ohusm  so  tetritic  sis  to  make  dizzy  the 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14S80 

(716)  672-4503 


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^^'■^4:^. 
»>».   ^ 


90. 


strongest  bead.  On  being  remonstrftt- 
ed  witti  fur  thus  exposing  biinHelf,  be 
would  reply  tbat  in  crossing  tbe  ocean 
he  bad  frequently  seen  tbe  sea-boy  in 
mueb  greater  peril,  aud  as  he 
should  probably  cross  tbe  ocean  again 
he  wished  to  inure  himself  to  such  dan- 
gers; if  the  nerves  of  otuers  were  dis- 
turbed, bis  were  not.  In  the  darkest 
hours  of  the  night  be  would  be  found 
walking  alone  in  tbe  wildest  and  most 
dangerous  spots  near  the  Falls.  At  such 
times  be  would  shun  th^i  approach  of 
men  as  if  they  were  unwelcome  intrud- 
ers on  bis  solitude. 

He  had  a  stipend,  allowed  to  him  by 
his  friends  in  England,  competent  fur 
liis  support.  He  attended  to  the  state 
of  bis  accounts  very  otirefully;  wa« 
economical  in  the  expenditure  of  money 
for  his  oirn  use;  but  generous  in  paying 
for  all  favors  aud  services,  and  never 
receiving  anything  without  making 
immediate  payment  therefore.  He  bad 
a  deep  and  abiding  sense  of  religious 
duties  and  decorum;  mild  in  his  behav- 
ior and  inoflfensivo  in  bis  conduct. 
Religion  was  a  subject  he  appreciated, 
and  f-eomed  well  to  understand.  The 
clarity  be  asked  from  others  ha  extend- 
ed to  all  mankind. 

What  could  have  broker  up 
and  .destroyed  such  a  mind  as  his? 
What  would  drive  him  from 
society,  which  he  was  so  well  fitted 
to  adorn— and  what  should  transform 
him,  noble  in  person  and  intellect  into 
an  isolated  anchorite,  shunning  tbe  as- 
sociations of  bis  fellow-men.  The 
mystery  he  never  unfolded,  and  bis 
frieuds  have  remained  silent  on  the  sub- 


./Wiv; 


^m 


remonstrftt-     ,, 
himnelf ,  be 
5  the  ocean 
sea- boy  in 
aud   as    he 
oceau  again 
bo  such  dftu- 
rs  were  dis- 
the  darkest 
[d  be  fouud 
8t  and  most   . 
ills.    At  Buch 
approach    of 
(ome  introd- 

d  to  him  by 
jmpeteut  for 
to  the  Btate 
irefuUy;    wa* 
iuve  of  money 
3US  iu  paying 
B,  and    never 
liout    making 
ore.    He  had 
)  of  religious 
iu  his  behav- 
his   couduct. 
i  appreciated, 
srstaud.     The 
era  ha  oxteiid- 

broker      up 

mind    as  his? 

him       from 

so  well    litted 

,uld  transform 

intellect  into 
mning  the  a«- 
>w-men.  The 
olded,  and  his 
lent  on  the  sub- 


nfMjiiiaiwEyi"  Ji 


^■ii/ 


ject.    He  was  about  28  years  of  age  at 
the  time  of  his  death. 

With  the  scenery  of  the  Falls  he  was 
perfectly  infatuated  and  expressed  him- 
self in  the  most  rapturous  terms,  when 
he  spoke  of  the  beautiful  retreats  of 
Goat  Island.  He  was  asked  why  lie 
did  not  take  up  his  renidence  in  Canada, 
under  his  own  government,  among  his 
own  people,  and,  as  he  preferred  being 
near  the  falls,  he  nonld  there  select  a 
place  to  suit  h'm,  as  the  views  on  that 
side  were  considered  by  many  as  Iteiug 
the  best.  He  replied  that  he  preferred 
this  side,  because,  in  all  that  was  inter- 
eEtiug  and  beautiful,  the  American 
scenes  around  the  falls  were  deoidedlv 


sui^enor. 


J^.Bery  on  tfte  C©^. 


s  On  the  evening  of  July  18, 1853,  a  man 
by  the  aame  of  Hauniman  and  ona  by 
the  name  of  Avery,  in  the  employ  ox 
David  Brown,  who  was  en»;aged  in 
boating  sand,  left  the  French  landing, 
(now  called  Port  Day,)  for  SohloDri^^r 
where  the  boat,  upon  which  they  were 
employed,  was  lying.  But  for  some 
reason  they  failed  to  reach  their  point, 
and  were  carried  out  into  the  strong 
current  and  down  into  the  rapids. 
Hanniman  was  immediately  carried 
over  the  Falls,  but  Avery  lodged  on  a 
log,  nearly  midway  between  Goat  Is- 
land bridge  imd  the  fearful  precipice, 
it  being  tLe  only  pldoe  iu  that  portion  of 


WW   ywmmii  mt»90i^m 


«**, 


I-  :5? '.' 


'!•'•■ : > ..  ■■-  ^v'  -.  >tty  li-y. 


92. 


the  rapids  npoa  which  a  human  beingr  . 
conld  Had  footingr.  The  fearfnl  truth  of 
a  inHn  beinjr  in  the  rapids  just  pIm>vo 
."•ho  verge  of  the  Falls  was  first  discov- 
ered at  al)out  four  o'clock  on  the  morn- 
inpof  July  19th  by  one  of  ihe  watch- 
men of  the  Cataract  House.  The  fear- 
ful intelligence  spread  like  a  fire  alarm 
throughout  the  village.  Ropes  were  - 
the  tifBt  thing  thought  of— no  rope  on 
hand.  Messrs.  Gage  &  Haws,  con- 
tractors on  tLe  hydraulic  oaual.stripped 
the  rigging  from  their  blocks  and  gin 
poles.  Citizens  owning  -»•  having  in 
their  possession  a  pt*  -^d  of  rope 
brought  it  forward. 

BoatA  owned  by  rich  and  poor  were 
soon  being  borne  on  the  shoulders  of 
the  mnltitude  to  the  spot,  as  an  offering 
of  humanity,  without  a  thought  of  rein- 
bursement.  Thus  four  boats  and  all 
the  rope  in  the  village  were  made  a  free- 
will offering  by  the  owners  to  attempt 
the  deliverance  of  an  unknown  stran- 
gor,  but  a  human  being,  from  a  situa- 
tion as  perilous  as  the  human  mind  can 
conceive.  A  telegraph  dispatch  to  Buf- 
falo promptly  brought  a  boat  to  the 
spot,  the  owner  not  giving  the  probabil- 
ities of  remuneration  a  thought. 

Thousands  of  persons  crowded  around 
the  soune,  each  haviup  a  plan  to  which 
Mo  one  heeds  but  himself.  Nothing, 
absolutely  nothing,  Cs-uld  be  done  in 
this  chaotic  3tate.  A  meeting  is  pro- 
posed on  Goat  xsland  bridge  b^  two  of 
the  proprietors,  to  give  direction  to  the 
efforts  about  to  be  made.  A  vote  is 
taken,  and  a  man  is  appointed  by  ao- 
olamatiou,  who  selects  his  assistants. 


w>j,j  iim  II 


Itf. 


nan  beinfj 
nl truth  of 

not   i»bove 

rat  disco  V- 
tbe  morn- 

ube  watoh- 
The  fear- 
fire  alarm 

.opes   were 

u)  rupe  on 

Elaws,   oon- 

ual.stripiwd 

ks  aud  gin 
having  in 

>d    of   rope 

poor  were 
shoulders  of 
H  an  offering 
iigbt  of  rein- 
oats  aud  all 
!  made  a  free- 
8  to  attempt 
mown  stran- 
rom  a  situa- 
aan  mind  can  ^ 
patch  to  Buf- " 
boat  to  the 
theprobabil- 
ught. 

iwded  around 
an    to  whi'sh 
t.      Nothing, 
I  be  done  in 
ieting  is  pro-      ;* 
E;e  by  two  of 
ircotion  to  th9  "r 
A   vote  \a  .  , 
tinted  by  ao- 
assistauts. 


A  generous  hearted  captain  from    the 
npper  lakcb,  having  heard  of   the  acci- 
dent 6t  Buffalo  hastened  down  to  the 
scene  of  action.    He  was  invited  to  par- 
ticipate iu  giving  direction  to  the  efforts 
about  to  be  made— he  was  prompt  and 
efficient.    The  boat  exp<3rimeut  fails — 
another     plan   is    proposed    which   is 
thought  feasable— this  failed  also  except 
to  give  a  knowledge  of  the  currents  and 
the  action  of  water  through  the  differ- 
ent channels— another  plan  is  proposed 
— ropei  were  with  the  life  boat— three 
huudrt'd  men  man  the  line  attached  to 
the  life  '  >oat  sunken  in  the  rapids— the 
line  pni  L  <  near  the  sunken  boat  aud  wan 
fortunately  brought  to  shore— the  raft  is 
completed  aud  let  down  into  the  boiling 
element  from  the  center  of  the  bridge 
— (a  noble  hearted  sea  captain,   a  stran- 
ger, with  a  soul  stamped  with  generos 
ity,  took  one  of  the  managers  by  the 
shoulders,  and  in  a  whisper,  begged  for 
God's  sake  to  let  him  go  down  on  the 
raft  and  help  the  man    keep    the   ropes 
oldtti,  and  on  being  refused  he  replied: 
"I  know  I  could  help  him."    Generous 
hearted  maul    would   that   the  world 
kuow  thy  name— the  orignal  design  of 
the  raft  is    thwarted  by  oie  rope  being 
too  short  to  reach  the  spot,  it  slips  the 
grasp   of    those    holding    it— the    raft 
swings  on  a  line    with   the    remaining 
rope  aud  bounds  down  and  below  the 
fatal  olifi  thnt  seemed  to  stand  between 
life  aud  death— no  more  roi>o  at  hand — 
nothiug  daunted  the  capstan  moves  on, 
the  raft  swings  to  the  embrace  of  the 
unfortunata— Lo    reaches  the  raft  and 
entwines  himself   a'.nong  its  rones.  He 
gazes  at  the  pail  of  provisions  lashed  t6 
the  raft— he  o&ituot  eat,  he  sees  nothing 


■  s-;: 


f'.'-f'.' ,    -ffl 


.■^rffA.''. 


--,  %     '■:•  '-''^''•ff^T. 


■u 


*#^: 


bnt  deatb  before  him.  The  raft  moveH 
slowly  sidewise,  under  the  reef  to  an 
almoBt  iuaoceesible  ialaud.  The  rope 
becomes  eutaugled  amoug  the  rocks. 
What  now  shall  be  done  ?  Lower  away 
the  raft,  now  haul  her  np,  now  lower 
her  down,  the  capstan  moves  the  pon- 
derons  weight  up  and  down  at  bidding, 
a  Kttle  lower  the  raft  descends  into  the 
swift  cnrrent,  the  snrges  dash  over  the 
head  of  the  unfortunate  passenger.  The 
capstan  turns  rapidly  around,  the  raft 
is  again  moved  under  the  ledge  in 
smoother  water,  although  the  surges 
had  almost  claimed  their  victim— the 
unfortunate  looses  his  lashing,  stands 
erect  and  rests  his  limbs  which  had 
been  stripped  of  their  covering  by  the 
boiling  current.  When  sufficiently 
recovered  he  again  takes  his  seat  and 
makes  himself  fast,  again  the  capstan 
heave8,alas,  the  rope  is  again  fast  in  the 
rocks  and  cannot  be  moved  except  up 
and  down  the  stream,  again  thec>><p8tan 
turns,  the  raft  is  brought  closj  to  the 
pv^rpendiculor  cliff  with  auuiuient  force 
to  lift  tb''  the  stern  free  from  the  water. 
The  rapids  dash  over  the  bow  of  the 
raft  and  fall  harmless  in  front  of  the 
sorrow-stricken.  What  shall  now  be 
done  ?  The  rope  is  still  fast,  the  sun  is 
fading  in  the  western  horizon  and  the 
sable  mantle  of  night  will  soon  veil  the 
scene.  Shall  this  man  be  left  to  Bi>end 
another  gloomy  night  in  the  arms  of 
death  ?  Another  attempt  must  be  made, 
again  the  lightning  flashes  to  Buffalo— a 
boat  wanted.  A  boat  is  furnished  and 
the  railroad  a^ent  prorsptly  placed  the 
same  upon  tue  oars.  The  engineer 
taxes  the  speed  of  his  engine  to  its  ut- 
most capacity,   its   humnn   life   might 


•rrC-M'.^ 


raft  muves 

reef   to  an 

The  rope 

g  tbe  rockfl. 

Lower  away 

,  uow  lutver 

ves  tlie  ppn- 

u  at  biddiu<7, 

sods  iuto  the 

ash  over  tbe 

ssenger.    Tbe 

dnd,  tbe  raft 

tbe   ledge   in 

h  the  surges 

r   victim— tbe 

shing,    stands 

s    which  bad 

verinp  by  the 

n   sufficiently 

bis  seat  and 

u  tbe  capstan 

a)u  fast  in  tbe 

red  except  up 

in  tbe  c^spstan 

i  clos'd  to  the 

tuuioient  force 

om  the  water. 

le  bow  of  the 

front  of  the 

shall   now   be 

ast,  the  sun  is 

izon  and  the 

1  soon  veil  tbe 

left  to  Bi>end 

tbe  arms  of 

must  be  made, 

9tu  Bufifalo— a 

rnrnisbed  and 

ly  placed  tbe 

Ihe    engineer 

ine  to  Its  at- 

n   life   might 


';"m  «.■'-' 


96. 


■■^1fr;f*:^-^i? 


de{)end  upon  tbe  at.ival  of  tlie  cars,  in 
tbe  shortest  possible  time— tbe  cars 
arrive— ere  the  speed  of  the  errs  is 
arrested,  the  crowd  bear  the  boat  upon 
their  shoulders  to  the  scene  of  peril— 
all  with  one  thought,  the  res- 
cue. Uo  there  is  yet  hope  that  tbe 
rescue  may  be  acoomplit<hud  before 
nightfall.  Again  another  cull  is  made 
for  rope;  another  tackle  block  is  found 
and  stripped;  the  boat  lowered  into  tbe 
Mream,  carefully  the  rope  slides  out 
fro,-a  tha  capstan,  until  she  reaches  tbe 
fearful  oliiT.  a  surge  strikes  the  boat, 
she  almost  poises  over  the  cascade;  tbo 
rope  stretches  but  little  aud  that  little 
loses  her  over  the  cliff,  aud  forces  a 
plank  from  her  side,  the  affrighted  man 
has  unloosed  his  lashings  and  is  stand- 
ing up- the  boat  strikes  tbe  raft— the 
concussion  throws  him  off  and  be  is  seen 
iottering  from  time  into  eternity.  A 
wail  is  heard  from  the  lips  of  the  thous- 
ands of  anxious  spectators;  some  run  to 
'  the  brink  of  the  precipice  to  witness  the 
last  straggle.  Ladies  swoou  and  drop 
like  soldiors  on  a  battle  field;  the  multi- 
tude heave  a  sigh  aud  turn  their  faces 
homeward,  few  having  tasted  food  since 
tbe  dawn  of  day. 


;  ,>.      The  following  article 
_   the  Albany  Register: 


WHS  written  to 


NiA.aA^BA  Fi.iiii3,  July,  19, 1853. 

It  is  verging  toward  midnis^ht 
on  the  18th  of  Jaly,  1853,  and  the  stars 
sliino  calmly  down  through  a  delicious 
atmosphere,  upon  tue  villitge  of  Niagara 
Falls.  Music  gives  life  to  tbe  joyous 
dance  at  the  Cataract  and  the  Interna- 
tional Hotels,  and  pleasure  saekers  hero, 
congregated  from  all  parts  of  the  conti- 


I 


« 


>«*•■ 


■•WW^flP"^ 


■a"v 


';' ''^^%^ 


i,<*|*? 


«ti 


nniit,  have  fonnd  enjoymeut.  Mnuy 
fair  wunidu  and  brave  men  Htifl 
liu<;er  oit  Goat  Islaud,  nuwilliuu  tu 
sever  from  soeues  and  HoiuidH  ao  full  of 
harmony — so  cotiKeuial  to  the  pure  ac- 
tivity uf  soul,  which  maiks  alike  the 
worshiper  of  God  and  the  beiii);  who 
sins  lightly,  if  at  all,  by  ipdniginf;  in 
dreams '  f  earthly  love  and  honor.  One 
^'lighted  couple  are  returuiug,  and  have 
halted  for  a  moment  un  the  bridge,  the 
hand  of  each  clasped  in  each  other's,  as 
they  look  upward  on  the  rapids.  A  thin 
cIon<J  .  drawn  for  a  few  moments  over 
the  respleudenl  stars,  iikethe  dropping 
of  a  bridal  veil,  and  the  shadow  rests 
ou  the  arrowy  foam  of  the  furious 
river.  And  they  whisper  of  approach- 
iu<;  union,  and  the  years  of  happiness 
whioluthey  doubt  not  the  good  God  has 
in  store  for  them  that  love  Him  so. 
But  what  was  tliat  dark  object  which  so 
suddenly  sprung  into  view  ou  the  very 
verge  of  the  horizon  above  them,  as 
though  swung  heavenward  by  a  huge 
wave  ?  He  says  it  was  but  a  taller, 
shadowed  pitch  of  the  wild  waters  or  a 
floating  log.  What  shook  the  bridge 
then,  and  did  you  not  hear  a  shreik, 
faint  and  smothered,  as  though  it  camo 
from  a  cavern  deep  in  the  earth  ?  Oh 
no  I  It  was  but  the  strong  blow  of  n 
eddying  whirl  of  the  fierce  river  which 
made  the  bridge  tremble  a  very  little 
more  than  it  usually  trembles;  and  if 
you  heard  a  cry,  it  was  but  the  near 
shreik  of  some  high-wheeling  night 
bird.  There  can  be  no  misery  near  us  , 
in  a  place,  and  at  a  time  like  this,  where 
all  it)  so  calm  but  the  great  river  exult- 
ing  in  its  strength,  and  where  wo  can 
almost  see  God's  good  angels,  half  uu- 


m^:^:- 


Mnuy 
leii  Btifl 
williu^  tu 
Hu  full  of 
pure  tto- 
nlike    the 

Ini^^iD^  in 
nor.  Dae 
,  nil  J  have 
ridge,  the 
otbor'B,  oa 
Is.  A  thin 
iieuta  over 
»  dropping 
dow  restH 
16  fnriuuB 
approaoh- 
hapt>iness 
d  God  hua 
Him  HU. 
it  which  HU 
u  the  very 
9  them,  as 
by  a  htige 
t  a  taller, 
atern  ur  a 
the  bridge 
r  a  »hroik, 
gh  It  camo 
jarth  ?  Oh 
9low  uf  n 
ver  which 
very  little 
les;  and  if 
the  near 
ling  night 
•y  near  ns 
thiH,  where 
iver  exnlt- 
re  we  can 
3,  half  un- 


.J 


-Ki-' 


97. 


■pbared.  watching  the  wcrld.  The 
KAUzy  cloud  iluata  westward,  and  the 
stars  shine  out  in  glory,  and  the  loyers 
walk  blissfully  un  and  cross  the  bridge 
and  Heitven  blesses  theui  in  dreams  that 
night,  while  the  musi,}  uf  the  juyona 
dauoers  below  sonnds  in  their  visions 
a  harmuny  of  heaven. 

But  it  was  uo  dead  tree  trunk,  nor 
singla  lifted,  olo  id  shadowed  wave,  that 
caught  (or  a  sinjfle  second  that  gentle 
maideo^s  eye.  .^t  was  a  boat  and  in  it 
were  two  men— around  each  were  twined 
loves  as  deep,  if  not  so  exalted  and 
pure,  as  those  which  hallow  end  beauti- 
fy her  and  her's.  It  was  not  a  strung 
swirl  of  the  wild  waters  that  made  the 
firm  bridge  tremble  a  little  more  than  it 

flways  trembles  in  the  strong  current, 
t  was  the  crashing,  like  an  eggshell,  of 
the  stroug  built  boat  when  it  dashed 
against  the  pier  and  whirled  under  the 
bridge  in  fragments.  It  was  not  the 
scream  of  a  night-bird,  whirling  in  the 
duHky  air  above  her,  which  startled  the 
soft-hearted  maiden ;  but  was  the  oou- 
jorned  agonies  of  two  strung-lunged, 
despairing  men,  which  burst  forth  into 
a  yell,  which  was  all  but  drowned  in  the 
deep  roar  of  the  majestic  river,  and 
oarae  as  but  in  a  whisper  to  the  car 
'  of  the  tendbf  maiden,  who  was  intently 
listening,  scarce  two  hundred  feet  away. 
One  of  the  strong  men  i«>  carried 
downward,  nnseen  save  by  Qod  and  the 
starry  eyes  of  night.  Fifteen  hundred 
or  twu  thousand  feot  are  bat  as  a  step 
for  the  groat  torrent,  though  if  they 
lived  until  they  reached  the  verge  of 
the  fall.  Heaven  only  knows  how  much 
misery  was  endured,  or  huw  surely  hope 
eternal  aud  well-founded  sprung  up  in 


98. 


L>;j»-  ; 


r^^.' 
\\.^^i 


his  Bonl,  while  the  wrathfuit  river  took 
that  step  ere  she  dashed   him  on  the 

Cile  of  rookH  one  liuudred  and  fifty  feet 
elow  and  bruko  forever  tlio  ligatures  of 
h<>|>e  and  love  that  bound  him  to  the 
world. 

But  for  the  second  t  Far  better 
would  it  have  been,  in  human  judgment, 
bad  he  too  been  uwept  away  at  ouce 
into  eternity.  Bat  not  so,  for  there  are 
manv  leBBons  to  be  drawn  from  the 
t  oubled  remnant  of  his  life— at  least  by 
those  who  witnessed  it. 

About  5(K)  feet  below  the  bridge,  and 
about  one-third  of  the  way  across  from 
the  main  shore,  a  loji;  is  embedded  in 
the  rapids.  It  lies  in  the  direction  of 
the  torrent,  and  at  the  lower  end,  for  a 
length  of  about  fifteen  feet  rises  above 
water,  then  seems  to  sink  n  little,  like 
the  hollow  of  a  saddle,  and  is  below  wat- 
er for  a  foot  or  two  and  then  rises  at  an 
angle  of  about  forty-iive  degrees  for 
four  or  five  feet  and  so  ends  abruptly. 
At  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning 
the  survivor,  a  lusty  man  of  twenty 
summers  or  thereabouts,  was  discover- 
ed clinging  to  the  upper  part  of  the  log, 
and  at  ouce  the  village  was  astir.  It  was  a 
strange  chance  that  threw  him  on  this 
mere  point— the  only  one  between  the 
biidge  and  fall  where  the  foot  of  man 
could  rest.  It  would  seem  that  Provi- 
dence, by  BO  miraonloua  an  interposi- 
tion for  his  present  safety,  gave  luisur- 
ftuoe  for  his  final  rescue.  But  God 
knows  best,  and  the  world  would  be  a 
chaos  were  not  the  issue  of  our  efforts 
by  Him  directed  We  have  only  our 
duties  before  us  and  He  will  take  care 
of  results. 


-wrxmi 


09. 


river  took 
iin  oQ  the 
atlfty  feet 
liKutiirea  of 
liim  to  tbe 

Far  better 
t  jud^meut, 
ay  at  ouce 
)r  there  are 
i  from  the 
-at  least  by 

bridge,  and 
icrosa  from 
iibedded   in 
direction  of 
3r  end,  for  a 
rises  above 
I  little,  like 
8  below  wat- 
1  rises  at  au 
degrees   for 
3     abruptly, 
he  morning 
a  of  twenty 
ras  disoover- 
rt  of  the  log. 
stir.  It  was  a 
him  on  this 
between  the 
foot  of  man 

that  Provi- 
»n  intei'posi- 

gave  asBur- 
).    Bnt    God 

would  be  a 
f  our  efforts 
kve  only  our 
rill  take  oare 


What  fascination  there  is  in  the  peril 
of  another,  though  he  be  a  stranger,  and 
whatever  may  be  his  rank  in  life,  his 
attainments  or  his  qualities. 

What  a  pity  it  is  that  the  peril  which 
30  fascinates  as,  and  nerves  us  up  to 
deeds  of  heroism,  and  sacrifices  of 
money,  and  property,  and  comfort, 
must,  in  the  general,  be  an  apparent 
peril  of  life  or  limb.  Those  slow  and 
deadly  dangers  which  besets  our 
neighbors  and  ourselves,  those  parents 
of  crime,  which  aims  at  the  destruction 
of  physical  vigor  and  moral  purity, 
which  contaminate  life  in  the  fountain 
wither  it  in  maturity,  which  create  the 
drunkard,  the  libertine,  the  robber,  and 
the  murderer,  alasl  they  fright  but  few 
of  us,  bnt  we  put  not  on  our  armor  to 
battle  against  them  nnto  the  death. 

I  could  hardly  take  my  eyes  from 
that  poor  man  from  the  first  time  I  saw 
him  unll  nis  fate  was  decided.  There 
were  hundreds  there,  who  would  cheer- 
fully imperiled  their  own  lives,  could 
reason  have  been  cajoled  into  holding 
out  the  slightest  hope  of  the  risks  con- 
tributing to  thiB  salvation  of  the  strang- 
er. Property  was  sacrificed  without 
hesitation,  for  him,  and  one  kind  gentle- 
man, a  stranger,  from— the  Lord  knows 
where,  but  may  he  be  Remembered  in 
Heaven— offered  a  thousand  dollars  to 
aave  the  stranger. 

When  I  first  saw  him  in  the  morning 
he  was  clinging  to  the  log  and  occasion- 
ally raising  his  head  aboye  the  top  and 
looking  from  side  to  side.  He  must 
have  realized  fully  the  almost  hopeless 
danger  of  his  situation,  and  was  sick  at 
heart,  as  well  as  chilled  bv  the  night 
air,  and  the  spray  sapping  hifl  strengih 


1 


'-  •'■       .'     ■  *,  •         :•;"■  \  4*.; 


100. 


■^^ 
.'■>$! 


i 


fur  BO  mnuy  hIow  ebl)iua  lioiirH.  Hin 
bund  WKH  Imre,  Itiit  othorwisu  he  v/tu* 
fully  clotliud.  It  wiiHiint'Ofwiblo  for  the 
huiuttii  voiou  tu  rouuli  hiiu.  Nu  vuioe  of 
enooiirit^eiuuut  tu  rouoh  Ltm,  but  the 
sympbthi/.iu)^  Hpirit  of  the  people  was 
not  diHouiirii$;ed,  and  sought  to  uphold 
hiin  l)y  BirruM.  He  whh  n  GerintiU  uiid 
ttouie  kind  persou  oauBsd  to  be  |>aiuted 
in  bif;  letteru,  in  Gornuin.  on  canvaH,  thu 
words,  "We  wilu  javb  you."  and  uuilod 
it,  like  abunuer,  on  the  fr(jut  of  a  build- 
iuif  on  the  bank.  He  saw  und  nndor- 
Htood  it,  and  waved  hin  haiida,  in  grati- 
tude, we  trust,  in  (i^ratitudo.  The  peo- 
ple, full  of  Bvmpathy,  thronged  the 
shore,  both  isluud  and  bridj^e.  Alas! 
they  oould  do  nothiugr,  nnleHS  it  were 
by  their  mere  presence,  to  encoura«re 
hope  and  strengthen  his  sometiraes  fail- 
ing oourni^e. 

It  is  painful  to  record  the  efTortB  that 
were  made  for  his  relief  and  extrication 
and  yet  a  summary  of  Uiem  may  not  be 
devoid  of  interest.  In  doing;  ho  it  is 
necessary  to  recall  his  position  in  the 
torrent.  All  above  was  a  wild  waste 
of  water,  rnshiug  downward  over 
curved  ledges  of  rock  crossing  awthart 
the  stream,  and  bo  was  all  below,  6ave 
that  the  log  to  which  he  clung  was  im- 
bedded in  a  basin  of  foaming  water 
between  two  ledges,  and  the  water  there 
seemed  less  unquiet.  From  the  ledges 
above  the  fall  was  more  than  a  foot. 
On  his  left  the  great  mass  of  the  river 
oame  down  in  a  tumult  of  green  waves 
and  eddies,  on  his  right  lay  first  the 
foaming  basin,  the  strong  current  of  a 
minor  channel  of  the  river,  and  then 
broken  water  and  an  eddy,  at  the  foot 
of  which  was  a  small    mass   of  rooks 


<»..' 
'* .  - 


Ws 


A^'u 


X. 


iix 


lourH.     His 

JHI!     llU      WttH 

ililo  for  the 

No  voioe  of 
m,   but  thu 

pouplo  wnH 

to   upb'jIJ 
eriUHU    iiiul 

be   |>aiuted 
1  uauvatt,  tbt) 

HDll  iiujlud 
t  of  a  build- 

und  undor- 
dn,  in  grati- 
Tbe  peo- 
jroiiged  tha 
id^e.  Alas ! 
leHH  it  were 
o  encourage 
[uetiraes  fail- 

e  tiffortu  that 
d  extrioiitiou 
i  may  not  be 
lini;  HO  it  is 
sition  in  the 
a  wild  waste 
nward  over 
nof?    awthart 

below,  save 
ang  was  im- 
aming  water 
e  water  there 
oa  the  ledges 
than  a  foot, 
of  the  river 
green  waves 
lay  first  the 

current  of  a 
er,  and  then 
,  at  the  foot 
ass   of  rooka  ^ 


101. 


above  wntor  and  blaokcnod  logfi, 
from  which  uoceHS  to  a  smuli 
wooded  island  bolow  seemed  ea»v. 
On  that  island  he  would 
be  safe,  for  it  could  Iki  reached,  though 
with  much  ditllouity,  fi  >m-Goator  Bath 
Inland,  in  a  boat.  To  cross  the  furious 
ohannel  on  his  left  to  the  main  shore 
was  impossible. 

There  he  lay  from  the  time  he  was 
discovered,  until.  I  should  think,  about 
half-post  four  in  i,'ie  afternoon,  the  sun 
beating  on  his  nncavered  head,  and 
without  food.  Attempts  were  made  to 
lower  food  to  him  from  the  bridge,  the 
food  being  enolosad  at  one  time  in  a 
basket,  and  at  least  twice  in  air-tight  tin 
cans,  but  all  these  attempts  were  unsuc- 
cessful. How  he  endured  all  he  did 
seems  strange  to  me.  (iod  had  certain- 
ly given  him  a  strong  frame  and  a  stout 
heart  and  he  would  have  made  u  gallant 
sailor. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  first  attempt  at 
rescue  was  made.  No  one  had  any 
confidence  in  it,  but  people  were  impa- 
tient to  do  something,  though  a  message 
had  been  dispatched  to  Buffalo  for  a 
life-boat,  which  was  ext^ected  on  the 
next  train.  A  strong  light  skiff  was 
launched  from  Bath  Island,  drawn 
out  into  the  stream,  apd  let  down  by 
two  ropes  in  the  lesser  chaanel.  3he 
filled  and  upset,  however,  and  was 
lost. 

But  here  comes  the  life-boat  from 
Buffalo,  and  the  crowd  sent  up  a  cl  eer 
which  rises  to  flea  von,  aad  even  crosses 
to  the  poor  man  on  the  log,  and  be 
erects  himself  in  ex|)Bctatiou.  It  is 
borne  across  the  bridge,  and  the 
gentleman  having  it  in  charge  examines 


A&f'"-' 


'M 


'%. 


.Jl»  iK^-' 


^m 


?***' 


41.1  *Aii.  HJiiil  .l!*U"^'"fli!»itel! 


m^ 


<*] 


102. 


from  different  points  on  the  bank  and 
the  bridge,  the  ohetaoles  to  be  over- 
come. It  is  almost  evident  that  they 
are  lnsupera\)le,  bnt  there  is  a  bare  pue- 
sibility  of  saooess,  audthat  is  snfiioieut. 
The  boat  is  launched,  and  the  bridge  is 
cleared  of  all  but  the  workers.and  blie  is 
eradually  lowered.  What  a  benutiful 
boat  she  is,  and  how  triumphantly  she 
rides  the  wild  swells  I  Now  she  passes 
down  tiie  main  shnto,  and  they  begin  to 
work  her  toward  the  log,  while  the  man 
hangs  «ith  his  hands  on  the  top  of  it, 
his  eyes  devouring  the  space  be- 
tween hiursolf,  and  what  he  trusts,  is  hi? 
preserver.  And,  indeed,  there  woi.^ 
seem  scarce  room  to  donht  that  he  was 
on  the  p)int  of  being  rescued.  Bnt 
now  the  boat  from  the  entangling  of  the 
rope  in  the  rocks  below,  or  from  some 
o^her  oansa,  upsets,  bnd  then  she  rises 
like  a  duck — and  now  she  is  jnst 
a  little  above  the  log,  and  in  a  second 
more  the  man  will  be  safe.  My  Qc  '  ' 
rhe  swings  a  little  beyond,  in  a  swift 
eddy,  ano  does  not  right  again.  I  shut 
my  eyes,  and  when  I  open  them  again, 
she  ie  far  off  in  the  broad  ohRunel  by 
the  main  shore,  held  by  a  single  rope 
and  almost  sunk  by  the  weight  and  force 
of  the  current.  The  man,  the  poor 
man,  who  but  just  now  was  waving  his 
hands  this  way  and  tb•^t  way  to  guide 
the  fieople  in  the  management  of  the 
ropes,  and  who.  I  could  swear,  from  the 
motion  of  his  head,  shouted  with  joy  as 
the  boat  neared  him,  was  now  clasping 
the  upright  portion  of  the  log. 
His  head  droop6,  and  despair,  I  fear, 
is  in  his  heart,  and  so  he  lies,  inanimate 
on  the  thinp  he  rests  on,  for  fully  an 
hoar. 


and 


s 


,i.,inii,iMiiiiiiitilii^i]|iigi.iipii   '     ■■ 


103. 


But  the  good  people  are  not  diBoonr> 
tke,sd;  they  uow  commence  buildiug  a 
raft.  It  is  made  of  two  long  square 
timbers,  with  a  phitform  iirmly  spiked 
on  at  one  end,  and  ocasioual  oross- 
piooes  to  the  other  end,  on  ^vhich  is  lauh- 
ed  a  barrel.  While  this  is  being  done  a 
crowd  of  men  bring  upon  poles  ou 
their  shoulders  a  large  broad-bearaed 
skiS.  It  is  concluded  to  try  this  before 
the  raft^and  it  is  launched  iron-.  Bath  Is- 
land, let  down  the  channel  and  worked 
across  stream  to  the  log.  Thank  God, 
the  man  is  safe  now  /  This  boat  has 
worked  admirably,  and  he  is  safe ! 
Alas  1  the  rone  has,  somehow  or  other, 
got  entangled  with  the  log,  and  though 
bar  prow  lies  on  the  left  and  at  the  very 
stem  of  the  log,  she  cannot  be  moved  a 
foot.  The  man  has  been  all  attention, 
for  some  time.  He  crawls  alon^  the 
log  and  tries  to  move  the  b')at.  HecAU* 
not  stir  it.  He  crawls  in  and  bales  ont 
some  of  the  water  with  his  hauris,  and 
then  pushes  the  log.  He  gets  upon  the 
lug  and  pushes  the  boat.  Again  he 
gets  into  the  boat  and  bales  with  his 
hands.  He  then  takes  off  both  boots 
and  bales  with  one  of  them.  He  puts 
on  his  boots  and  taking  off  his  coat, 
folds  it  and  lays  it  in  the  bow  of  the  boat. 
He  gets  upon  the  log,  and  walks  to  the 
farther  end,  lies  down  upon  it,  and 
thrusts  his  arm  into  the  water.  He  g-its 
the  rope,  and  pulls  with  all  his  might, 
and  then  gaeo  to  the  boat  and  pushes  it. 
And  BO  he  works,— how  long  it  seemed 
to  me  I —sometimes  in  one  place  and 
sometimes  in  the  other,  and  continually 
in  vain.  How  I  longed  for  a  voice  to 
t<ell  him  to  keep  still,  and  to  husband 
his  strength,  the  whole  of  which  might 


v^-i 


mmk 


wsm. 


?f'!* 


!H«?)" 


% 


'^j^ffi-'i^j''y'M'^fi''''^\'^*-''Si 


104. 


yet  be  reqnisite  to  save  liim.  But  now 
be  de8()airB  a^aiu.  God  does  seem  to 
have  declared  agaiust  him !  But  now, 
after  a  long  interval,  they  are  shooting 
the  raft  over  the  rail  of  the  bridge. 
They  have  launched  it  and  down  it 
floats.  Now  it  is  in  the  swift  oarrent, 
and  the  barrel  disappears  in  the  over- 
charging foam.  But  it  holds  together 
nobly,  end  passes  the  shell,  and  is 
drawn  safely  to  the  lo^.  The  man,  so 
long  ooufinod  there,  I  am  sme,  gives  a 
cheer.  He  sita  down  on  the  plat- 
form, and  fixes  his  feet  in  and  takes 
hold  of  stays  and  loops  IJxed  to  'he 
floor  of  the  raft,  and  they  begin  ^o 
haul  on  the  ropes.  This  must  have 
been  between  four  and  five  o'clock. 
For.  a  full  hour,  as  it  seemed  to  me, 
they  endeavored  to  draw  the  raft  di- 
rectly up  the  stream,  but  to  drag  it  up 
the  first  fall  or  ledge  was  impoBsible— 
bat  still  they  pulled  wth  a  will  and  now 
the  raft  fell  back  suddenly  and  swiftly; 
surely  the  ropes  must  have  parted,  and 
a  perceptable  shudder  runs  through  the 
mass  of  men  around  me.  So,  too, 
thinks  the  man,  for  he  stands  upon  his 
feet,  and  with  a  harried  glance  aronnd 
him,  ftands  preiwred  to  jump  and  swin 
for  his  life;  but  he  is  instantly  reassured, 
and  calmly  resnmns  his  seat,  for  they 
had  merely  slackened  the  rc^jt.  prepar- 
atory to  trying  to  guide  the  raft  to  the 
right  or  island  shore.  They  do  guide  it 
BuooosefuUy— slowly,  but  steadily,  it 
swims  far  away  horn  the  log,  and  the 
man  sits  there  like  a  statue.  He 
lies  upon  the  raft  with  his 
head  drooping,  as  though  half 
Bluml>eriug,  and  then  raises  it  with  a 
start,  like  tme  contending  with  sleep  or 
exhaustion.    And  now  the  raft  is  on  the 


A 


i.  But  now 
oes  aeem  to 
1  But  now, 
are  Bhootiug 

the  bridge, 
nd  down  it 
wift  current, 
in  the  over- 
ilds  together 
hell,  and  is 
The  man,  so 
sme,  gives  a 
on  the  plat- 
in  and  tokes 
Sxed  to  'he 
ey  begin  "^o 
1  must  have 
five  o'clock, 
med  to   me, 

the  raft  di- 
to  drag  it  up 

impossible — 
,  will  and  now 

and  swiftly;  ' 
J  parted,  and 
s  through  ibe 
r>e.  So,  too, 
inds  upon  his 
lance  around 
imp  and  swi-n 
itly  reassuredj 
seat,  for  they 
roirjt.  prepar- 
je  raft  to  tlu» 
ejr  do  guide  it 
b  Bteadily.  it 
I  lug,  and  the 

statue.  He 
t  with  his 
though  half 
ises  it  with  a 

with  sleep  or 
)  raft  is  on  the 


106. 


■ 


edge,  in  the  raging  torrent,  the  water 
arohes  over  the  barrel  in  front— the 
raft  is  pressed  down— and  be  is  waist 
deep.  The  waves  force  bim  backward 
and  rush  up  t>y  his  mouth,  and  he  will 
be  drowned;  but  now,  with  a  mighty 
elTort,  he  bows  forward  wK^^h  his  bead 
under  water,  draws  out  bin  feet  and 
throws  them  backwards  so  that  be  is 
kneeling,  holding  on  with  his  hands, 
and  with  head  erect.  Again  the  raft 
slides  to  the  left,  out  of  the  swiftest 
vttter;  and  there  she  lies  ao  long  I 
What  is  the  matter  now?  Alas!  the 
rope  has  caught  in  a  ledge  of  rook  above 
and  some  now  contrivance  must  be 
resorted  to  clear  it.  Again  ie  hope 
deferred,  yes,  almost  cnished. 

But  it  is  now  nearly  six  o'clock,  and 
the  large  ferry  boat  is  put  in  the  water, 
and,  the  inexperienced  say,  it  mnst  be 
easy  to  lay  her  alongside  the  raft.  We 
can  see  hope  rekindle  in  the  bosom  of 
the  sufferer.  Carefully  the  boat  is  let 
down  and  is  nearly  there.  The  boat  al- 
most touches  the  raft,  and  the  man 
rises,  ready  to  step  in.  But,  my  God ! 
the  force  of  the  current  aasues  her 
against  the  raft,  and  he  is  thrown  into  ' 
the  water  I  Strike  out  for  your  life  I 
Gross  but  one  rod  of  stormy  wr.ter  and 
yon  are  safe  I  Alas  1  he.  riwr!ias  but 
faintly,  he  despairs,  and  throws  himself 
bookwai'd,  and  a  dark  spot  is  seen  hur- 
rying toward  the  fall.  As  he  reaches 
the  verge,  with  a  gposmodio  effort  ho 
raises  breast  high  from  the  water,  and 
the  poor  sufferer,  whom  we  have  watch- 
ed so  long,  will  be  seen  no  more  on 
earth.  He  baa  joined  his  companion, 
and  may  Heaven  have  mercy  upon 
tbem. 


"■''    TriiniimimHpi 


•mm 


106. 


This  melancholy  affair  may  bo  sum- 
med up  in  a  few  words :  If  tue  uufurtn- 
nato  man  had  not  loosened  his  faateu- 
ings  to  the  raft  on  the  approach  of  the 
boat,  and  if  his  Btrenp,'th  had  been  sntti- 
oieut  to  endure  the  fatigue  of  another 
ten  hours  on  the  raft,  (as  nothing  could 
be  done  for  him  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night,)  in  all  probability  he  might  have 
been  brought  to  Chapiu's  Islaud  the 
following  day,  from  which  his  rescue 
would  have  been  comparatively  easy. 

The  body  of  the  uufortur.ate  Hhnni- 
man  was  found  on  the  following  Satur- 
day, July  asrd,  near  Uuspension  Bridge, 
and  decently  interred  by  Mr.  Sternes, 
the  town  poor  master.  Tie  body  of 
Avery  was  never  recovered. 


Piepcs's  H'^wel  l^rijgade. 


At  the  junction  of  the  Portage  Boad 
with  Main  Street  in  this  city,  there  was 
a  public  house  for  many  years,  which, 
during  the  War  of  1812,  was  kept  by  a 
man  named  Gad  Pierce,  who  was  an 
active  frontier  partisan.  When  hostili- 
ties rommcuced  between  the  two  coun- 
tries, there  was  a  very  small  number 
of  troops  on  the  American  side  of  the 
river,  and  only  a  single  company  to 
garrison  Fort  Niagara.  It  was  expect- 
ed, every  night,  that  the  Fort  would  be 
attacked  by  the  British,  who  hod  a  large 
force  of  men  at  Fort  George.  Mr. 
Pierce,  aware  of  thig  state  of  aflairH,  one 
day  raised  all  the   inhubitnutii  in   the 


•m 


nay  bo  sum- 
the  unfortu- 
d  bis  faateu- 
)roacb  of  tbo 
lad  been  Bnfli- 
e  of  nnother 
lotbing  could 
ikneas  of  tbe 
10  raigbt  have 
s  lalaiid  tbti 
3b  bis  rescue 
tively  ea^y. 
nr.ate  Hanui- 
lowiuK  Satur- 
Dusiou  BridRe, 
Mr.  Sterues, 
Tl  a  body  of 
bd. 


brigade. 


Portage  Road 

city,  there  wub 

years,    which, 

was  kept  by    a 

B,   who  was  RH 

Whon  hostili- 

1  the  two  oouu- 

amall   number 

uan  side  of  the 

le   company    to 

It  was  expect- 

I  Fort  would  be 

who  had  a  large 

t   George.    Mr. 

teot  anairH,  one 

tbitants   in    the 


^^SBl 


mimmmwmm^smmm. 


107. 


surrounding  country,  and  had  them 
assemble  at  Lewiston.  Horses  of  every 
kind  were  brought  into  requisition,  and, 
when  the  citizens  were  mounted,  they 
appeared  at  a  distance  like  a  formidable 
troop  of  ci'valry.  Among  them,  too, 
were  sever  of  the  Tuscarora  Indians, 
who  entereu  with  spirit  into  the  man- 
ouver.  Instead  of  swords,  they  used 
walking  canes,  sticks  and  ramrods. 
Several  of  the  ramrods  were  of  polished 
steel  or  iron,  which  made  a  very  bright 
and  flashy  appearance.  The  cavalcade 
moved  from  Lewiston,  along  the  river ' 
road,  in  sight  of  the  enemy,  and  enter- 
ed Fort  Niagara.  The  blankets  of  the 
Indians  flattering  in  the  wind,  the 
vitrious  habiliments  of  the  farmers,  the 
jlimpiug  and  over-strained  plow  horse, 
the  nibbling  gait  and  twitching  head  of 
the  wild  pony,  with  now  and  then  a 
noble  looking  horse,  formed,  to  those 
who  woro  near,  a  most  ludicrous  spec- 
tacle. In  the  fort,  they  dismounted, 
and  performed  some  slight  evolutions 
in  a  most  laughable  manner.  At  the 
command  to  mount,  some  of  the  Indiana 
executed  the  order  in  euoh  f%  masterly 
way  as  to  throw  t'^emselves  entirely 
over  their  ponies.  To  the  British,  the 
imposing  apr>earance  oJ  the  trooi>8  with 
their  steel  ramrods,  which  glittered  in 
the  sun  like  broadswords,  had  the  desir- 
ed effect :  the  contemplated  attack  was 
not  made. 

At  the  time  of  the  general  invasion  of 
the  frontier,  Mr.  Pierce  had  his  family 
removed  to  a  place  of  safety,  but  would 
not  himself  quit  the  premises.  He  and 
four  others  formed  the  little  garrison, 
with  which  he  determined  to  defend 
his     home.      They    waited     for     the 


raei 


>*WP 


lOS. 


approach  of  tbe  enemy.  At  length  a 
company  of  British  regulars  appeared 
and  a  fire  was  opened  upon  them.  1  hey 
oontinnedthe  defenoe  for  some  time, 
but,  M  their  opponents  were  numerous, 
it  was  impossible  to  keep  them  at  a  dis- 
tance. A  part  advanced  upon  the  front 
of  the  house,  and  succeeded  in  break- 
ing  down  the  door,  tirin,?  their  giins  as 
they  entered.  The  defenders  eflfeoted 
their  escape  in  an  opposite  direction 
without  any  of  their  number  being 
wounded.  Whether  the  attacking  party 
Bufiered  any  loss  was  not  known. 


%n  Indian  y(,doentare. 

Jue*  below  the  mountain  and  to  the 
right  of  the  road  which  descends  from 
the  Tuscarora  village,  there  lived  a  roan 
by     the      name     of     Sparrow    Sage, 
who  WM  driven  away  from  his  home, 
on  the  19th  of  December,  1813,  during 
the  invasion  of  the  Niag'^ra  Frontier  by 
the  British     But,  for   .^le   purpose   of 
securing  h  s  harvest,    he  and   bis   wife 
returned  the  following  summer  to  their 
exposed  and  solitary    dwelling.     One 
day,  while  Mr.  Sage  was  at  worn  in  a 
field  some  distance  from  the  house,  an 
Indian,  attached  to  the  British  cause, 
entered  the  housa  and  demanded  some- 
thing   to    eat,     speaking   in     broken 
English.    Mrs.    Sage,    beiu^    entirely 
alone,  immediately  obeyed  his  bidding, 
in  hopes  that  after  eating  he  would  go 
away.    But  in  this  she  was  disappointed . 


iH 


H^ 


^m 


Mm 


inran 


1 


A.t  length  a 
kTB  appeared 
ihem.  They 
Bome  time, 
)  numeroiiB, 
em  at  a  die- 
on  the  front 
id  in  break- 
heir  gnns  as 
lers  effected 
te  direction 
imber  being 
;acking  party 
uown. 


»ent&Fe. 


I  and  to  the 
esuends  from 
e  lived  a  man 
arrow  Sage, 
m  his  home, 
1813,  daring 
I  Frontier  by 
I  purpose  of 
tnd  bis  wife 
mmer  to  their 
railing.  One 
at  work  in  a 
he  house,  an 
3ritish  cause, 
nanded  some- 
;  in  broken 
Biug  entirely 
d  his  bidding, 
he  would  go 
disappointed. 


for  as  soon  as  he  had  finished  his  repast 
he  informed  her  that  he  lived  at  Grand 
River,  Canada,  and  that  he  had  oome af- 
ter her  to  go  with  him  as  his  sqnaw.  She 
replied  that  it  oould  not  be,  ad  she 
already  had  a  husband.  "  No  I  no  1 "  he 
angrily  exclaimed,  "you  very  pretty; 
you  must  be  my  squaw;  you  snail  go." 
In  vain  she  told  him  that  her  husband 
and  others  were  near  by  and  that  he 
had  better  go  way  or  else  he  might  get 
killed.  The  Indian  then  took  down 
Mr.  Sage's  gun  and.finding  it  unloaded, 
put  it  back  again,  He  then  ransacked 
the  house,  commanding  Mrs.  Sage  not 
to  leave  his  sight,  at  the  same  time 
keeping  his  eyes  upon  her.  He  took  aa 
much  as  he  oould  carry  of  -such  things 
us  he  mostly  desired,  and,  seizing  Mrs. 
Sage  forcibly  by  the  arm,  he  dragged 
her  out  of  the  book  door,  and  theuoe 
towards  the  woods,  in  the  direction  of 
Fort  Niagara,  at  that  time  ooonpiel  by 
the  British.  The  husband  hearing  the 
screams  of  his  wife,  hurried  towards 
the  house,  seized  an  ax  which  was  lying 
at  the  door,  and  followed  in  pursuit. 
He  came  up  to  them  at  a  fence,  on  the 
bordor  of  tUe  forest.  Not  letting  go  hia 
hold,  the  savage  fired  at  Mr.  Sage  as  he 
ran  towards  them.  But,  luckily,  the 
ball  did  not  take  effect,  and  just  as  the 
Indian  was  raising  his  victim  to  throw 
her  over  the  fence,  a  blow  from  the  ax 
broke  his  rifie  and  made  him  let  go  of 
Mrs.  Sage.  Hastily  consulting  his  own 
safety,  be  leaped  over  the  fence,  but 
while  doing  so  he  received  another  blow 
from  the  ax.  The  forest  resounded  with 
his  yells,  as  he  made  off  with  all  possible 
speed  into  the  thick  woods.  Mr.  Sage 
did  not  think  it  proper  to  pursue,  bat 


roturninsf  with  his  wife,  they  immedi- 
ately left  their  dangerouB  habitation 
for  a  place  of  Bafety. 

Mr.  William  Molyneanx,  the  father  of 
Mrs.  Sage,  had  ooonpied  the  same  resi- 
c'iecoe  the  winter  before,  but  ho  and  his 
family  were  also  compelled  to  lltie  to  a 
place  of  safety.  About  a  month  after 
he  returned,  and,  upon  enteriup;  the 
house,  he  found  two  dead  Indians  lying 
upon  the  floor.  A  party  of  American 
soldiers  had  coma  upon  them  unex- 
pectedly, while  they  were  oarousiuR 
upon  the  good  fare  which  the  oooupauts 
had  left.  They  were,  no  doubt,  abroad 
for  murder  and  dfatraction,  and  met 
the  fate  which  thev  intended  for  others. 
Mr.  Molyneaux  ura^ged  their  bodies 
from  the  house,  and  m  he  had  no  aid 
nor  time  to  bury  them,he  formed  around 
them  a  large  pile  of  logs  and  rails,  and, 
setting  fire  to  it,  they  were  con- 
sumed. The  British  Indians  consider- 
ed it  quite  an  alfront,  and  threatened 
vengeance,  but  it  was  an  empty  threat, 
as  they  had  already  done  all  the  harm 
they  couid.        ;       "  ' 


P.'-  an 


J^  narrow  ^soape. 


It  was  in  the  early  morning,  on  the 
19th  of  December,  1813,  the  weather 
being  cold,  and  the  bleak  winds  howl- 
ing, when  the  inhabitants  of  Lewiston 
were  aroused  from  their  »iuiet  slumbers 
and  compelled  to  leave  their  comforta- 
ble homes  and  flee  from  a  cruel  and  re- 


>t.>',.', 


"iJiiC   . 

•^*': 

m      ^'  ■  ■  *   ' 

.i;> 

immedi-     ■  " 

ibitation 

father  of 

"^ 

mo  resi- 

1  (vud  bis 

I  ■ 

Ite  to  tt 

f  "  -^ 

ith  after 

„  ^'. 

iriuK  the 

-* 

iinH  lying 

American 

im  uuex- 

oarouBiUf? 

)00UpttUt8 

. 

»t,  abroad 

.,.-  ■■ 

and  met 

■.."••'*;,v-;. 

or  others. 

J"    •  "* 

lir   bodies 

td  uo  aid 

ed  around 

rails,  and, 

>"  ^^(: 

were  cou- 

■    '    '-'■■'x 

oonsider- 

threatened 

'1-^]^ 

)ty  threat, 

■;.v'W^:- 

the  harm 

/     '    _-. 

...;.-.-^:  '-J-' 

',         **■■.(":  ■■»>■ 

•:,.;- 

>ap€. 

dg,  ou  the 

ie  weather 

inds  howl- 

i  Lewiston 

)t  BlumberB 

r  comforta- 

uelttud  re- 

■  ■•  -♦• 


Hi. 


^mmmmmm 


■■■♦» , 


lentlosB  foo,  who  had  iuBt  orossod  the 
river,  and  was  Bpreading  death  and 
desolation  all  alonjr  tL  border.  The 
roads  had  been  badly  broken  np,  and 
were  frozen  in  a  state  that  it  was  impos- 
Bible  to  proceed  with  wttgons,  and.  there 
being  little  snow,  only  slow  progress 
could  be  made  with  sleighs.  In  the  rear 
of  the  fugitives,  who  were  hastening 
with  all  possible  speed  along  tho  Bidge 
Boad,  was  a  two-horse  sleigh,  driven  by 
a  yonug  man  who  walked  beside  hia 
horses.  In  the  sleigh  lay  his  brother, 
who  one  week  Iwfore  had  bis  leg  ampu- 
tated just  below  tl-?  knee.  He  was  in  a 
very  feeble  condition,  and  to  proceed 
rapidly,  rough  as  the  roads  then  were, 
wonld  have  been  death  to  him. 

Although  the  enemy  was  not  fer  in 
the  rear,  there  was  no  alternative  but  to 
continue  the  moderate  paoe  at  which 
they  weie  moving.  The  driver,  who 
was  armed  with  a  trusty  rifle,  would 
frequently  oast  anxious  gjnnces  behind 
him,  knowing  that  the  eneAy  was  not 
far  in  the  rear.  At  length  the  war-wbooi 
of  the  British  Indians,  with  its  accom- 
panying yells,  broke  up-jn  his  ears. 
The  disabled  brother  besought  the 
other  to  leave  him  to  his  fate  and  flee 
for  hia  life.  "  No,"  he  replied,  '"if  we 
are  to  die,  we  will  perish  together." 
The  party  of  Indians  that  pursued  them 
was  in  full  sight  and  one,  far  in  adviiitio 
of  the  others,  called  upon  them  to  atop, 
making  threatening  gestures,  and 
raising  his  rifle  as  if  to  shoot. 

With  the  same  alow  paoe  the  horses 
proceeded,  and  the  driver  was  coolly 
collecting  himself  for  the  conflict,  in 
which  such  fearful  odds  were  against 
him.    The  Indian  sprang  forward  and 


p 


IV^ 


m  ' 

4  ' 


WM  within  a  few  paoes  of  the  sleigh, 
wheu  the  yonug  mun.  snddenly 
turuin^  himHelf,  quickly  miHed  hia  riUu 
and  fired  uixni  Lis  pursuer,  who  fell 
forward  a  oorpae,  his  body  roll  lug  out 
of  the  road.  A  yell  of  vengeance,  from 
the  baud  in  the  rear,  oarau  like  a  knoll  of 
death  upon  the  ears  of  the  brothers.  At 
that  moment  a  bund  of  friendly  Tiinou- 
roras  were  seen  descending  the  adjacent 
hill,  and  the  well  directed  Hro  which 
they  opened  on  the  British  Indiana, 
obliged  the  latter  to  hastily  retire. 

The  driver  of  '.he  sleigh  was  the  late 
Hon.  Bates  Cook,  and  the  inralid  was 
the  lute  LatUrop  Cook,  names  that  have 
been  familiar  household  words  for  many 
years. 


'j'tf;;i%Mv 


Gat>t.  VOebb  8  Cast  gwim. 


Oapt.  Matthew  Webb,  the  famona 
English  swimmer,  made  the  attemi>t  to 
swim  through  the  Kapids  and  Wliirl- 
pool  of  Niagara  River  on  the  afternoon 
of  July  24th,  1883,  and  lost  his  life  ia 
the  e£fort.  As  he  had  publicly  announc- 
ed he  would  do,  Oapt.  Webb  left  the 
Olifton  House,  on  the  Oanada  side,  at  i 
o'clock,  and  proceeded  down  the  bank 
to  the  ferry  lauding.  Here  he  stepped 
into  a  smcQl  boat  manned  by  Jack  Mo- 
Cloy,  ferryman,  and  was  rowed  down  the 
river  to  opposite  the  old  Pleasure 
Grounds,  just  above  the  old  Maid  of 
the  Mist  landing.  At  4.115  he  jumped 
from  the  boat  into  the  river.    A  mo- 


J..-.u.J,miH^!.n'J^  '^1 


the  sleieli, 
Budilunly 
led  hifi  ride 
r,  who  fell 
rolliug  out 
tiaiice,  from 
(e  a  knoll  of 
others.  At 
dly  Tusca- 
he  adjaoetit 

fire  which 
sli  Indians, 
■etire. 

van  the  late 
iu/iilid  waH 
E)H  tliut  have 
iIh  for  many 


tgwim- 


the  famona 
a  attempt  to 

and  Whirl. 
le  after noou 
Bt  his  life  in 
ly  annonno- 
ebb  left  the 
da  flide,  at  4 
ru  the  bank 

he  stepped 
)y  Jack  Me- 
ed down  the 
d  Pleasure 
Id  Maid  of 

he  jumped 
er.    A  mo- 


;•*! 
^ 


m 


J 

T-".'  ^ 


•.<:' 


4: 


> 


_l,    ..': 


•;if:' 


i'^Jiv'-ii: 


Vfr--'   :» 


118. 


ment  later  he  rose  graoefully^  to  the  sur- 
face and,  Bwimminjr  with  lutinitv  ease 
and  power,  struck  boldly  out.   He  ole»u-- 
ed  the  watiir  with  strong  and  steady 
strokes,  swimiuing  on  his  breast  with 
his  liead  clear  from  the  surface.     He 
kept  in  the  centre  of  the  stream  and  the 
strong  eddits  which  occasionally  swirl- 
ed  past  him  seemed  in  no  way  to  im- 
l»edeor8wervo  him  from  hisoonrso.    As 
he  approached  the  Railway  Suspension 
Bridge,  which  he  passed  at  5.33.  the  How 
of  the  current  increased  with  remark- 
able  rapidity.    There   were  about  two 
hundred  spectators  on  the  bridge  who 
saw  the  intrepid  swimmer  glide  towards 
them,  pass  beneath  them,  and  ere  they 
oonld  reach  the  north  side  of  the  struc- 
ture, he  was  fifty  yards  down  the  cur- 
rent.    He   was  carried   along  as  fast  as 
the  eye  could  f  :^llow  him.    With  8|>eech- 
luss  wonder  and  fear  he  was  seen  to 
reach  the  first  furious  billows  of  the 
rapids.    Onward  he  sped  like  a  feather 
in  the  sea.    High  on  the  crest  of  u  huge 
billow  his  head  and  shoulders  gleamed 
(or  an  instant  and  then  he  was  lost  in  a 
dark  abyss  of  turmoiling  water.    Again 
he  appeared,   his  aims  steadily  moving 
as  if  balancing  himself  for  a  plunge  into 
another  mighty  wave.    The  tumbling, 
rushing,    swirling  element  seemed  to 
give  forth  an  angry,  sullen   roar  as  if 
sounding  the  death  knell  of  the  Ul-fated 
swimmer.    Once  more  away  ilown  the 
Bapids  he  was  seen  still  apparently  brav- 
ing    fate  atsd  stemming  the  seething 
waters  with  marvelous  skill  and  endur- 
snce.    Instead   of  being  whirled  hither 
•nd  thither  as  might  have  been  oxj^ot- 
ed    he  was  carried  with  furious  nvpidity 
onward  almost  la   a  straight  course. 


lU. 


For  nearlv  a  mile  he  wan  hurricil  for- 
ward by  tUe  tumultuous  rusbiuR  waters 
Bud  Btill  he  Beemed  to  be  riding  the  aw- 
ful billows  in  safety.    In  two  miuntes 
after  he  had  pamed  under  the  Huspeu- 
sion     Bridge     he    had    been    hurriod 
through  the  terrible  Uapida  and  arrived 
at   the  mouth  of  the  gre.it  Whirlpool, 
lleaohing     what     seemed    to    bo    less 
troubled  and  dangerous  watera,  it  was 
said    by    some,   that  ho  raised  his  head 
well  abovo  the  surface,  gazed  for  an 
instant  towards  the  American  side  and 
then  turned    his  face  to  the  high  bluff 
on  the  Canadian  side.    A  second  later 
he  dived  or  sank  and  was  st^en  no  more. 
But  Mr.  Culhaue,  of  the  Canadian  cus- 
toms force,  who  was  at  tho  iuoliued  rail- 
way near  the  Whirpool,   when  Webb 
came  down  the  river,  with  <i  couple  of 
boys  and  some  ladies,  says  that  he  and 
his  party  saw  Webb  distinctly   for  a 
minute  before  he  reoched  the  Whirl- 
pool, and  they  were  conHaeut  that  he 
was  either  dead  or  inseusiblo  i>rior  to 
that  time.    As  the  body  approached  the 
Whirlpool,  the  head  seemed  to  be  hang- 
ing to  one  side,  and  the  body  appeared 
to  have  no  life  in  it.    Once  it  raised  a 
little  out  of  the  wat'ir  by  an  extra  eddy, 
but  fell  back  as  if  lifeless.    He  believes 
that  Webb  had  endurance  enough   to 
swim  a  long  distance,  but  was  buffatted 
to  death  by  the  pressure  of  tons  upon 
tons  of  water  in  the  Bapids.    Therefore 
he  must  have  been  killed  or  rendered 
insensible  ere  he  got  to  the  Whirlpool, 
into  which  he  was  without  doubt  drawn. 
The  rapidity  of  the  current  that  carried 
Webb  to  his  doom  may  be  gathered 
from   the   fact   that  it  only  took  two 
juinntes  to  carry  him  from  thQ  bridge 


i 


hnrricd  for- 
liiuK  wat«rB 
liiiK  tlie  aw- 
wu  miiiiites 
the  HuHpoD- 
eu  hurried 
and  arrived 

Whirlpool, 
to  bo  lew* 
aterti,  it  was 
9cd  bin  bead 
kzed  for  an 
;aii  side  and 
e  high  bluff 
seooud  later 
en  no  more, 
iniidiau  oua- 
tioliued  rail- 
when  Webb 
i  A  couple  of 

that  be  and 
nctly   for  a 

the  Wbirl- 
ueut  that  be 
ible  prior  to 
>roaohed  the 
i  to  be  hang- 
dy  appeared 
30  it  raised  a 
1  extra  eddy, 

He  believea 

enough  to 
vas  bucBtted 
of  tons  upon 
,    Therefore 

or  rendered 
e  Whirlpool, 
ioubt  drawn. 

that  carried 
be  gathered 
ly  took  two 
m  the  bridge 


I 


llli. 


to  the  Whirpool  fully  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  diHtaut.  NotwithsUndiug  the 
fftot  that  Webb'8  fatal  swim  was  wlt- 

much  doubt  wab  expressed  a«  to  wheth- 
er he    might   not  have  left    the   river 

alive      a.      some      P"*"*  ^»«J'""^^,,  J,'!.« 
observation  of  the  spectators.     All  un- 
certainty  on  those  points  weie.bowover, 
remove!  by  the  ttnding  of  «apt.  Webb^ 
bodv  about  noon  on  Saturday,  July  i», 
1883,   four  days  after  his  ^|8«PP«'":'^"°«' 
by  Aiohard  W.  Turner,  of  Yonngstown, 
afcout  a  mile  and  a  half  below,  Lewiston. 
Oapt.   Matthew    ./ebb  was  a  "{f  »v«  of 
Enaland  and  36  years  ot  age.     Hjs  fath- 
er Uves  in  HhropBbier,  Eng  and,  and 
there   were  W  children  in  the  family. 
eTght   Sgboyfl.    He  learned  to  swim 
Xn  eight  years  old.  being  encouraged 
in  hia  ventures  by  his  father.    While 
vet  a  more  youth,  he  ran  away  to  sea. 
and  during  hia  career  before  the  miiat 
became  famous  for  his  swi^^'f'i'K^f  ^' 
several     of  which  were  performed   in 
^v?n-  human  life.    In  1872,   while  m 
South  Africa,  he  won  his  tlrst  l«n/e  «  as 
a  Dublio  swimmer,  and  in  a  year  foUow- 
?ng  received  a  purse  of  *M0  from  the 
piSsengers  of  the  steamer  Russia  and  a 
medal  from  the  humane  society  of  Lon- 
don for  saving  the  life  ot  a  auilor  who 
wa^  wasbTd  overboard.    The  achieve- 
ment that  gave  Wm  international  fame 
WM    Bwimming    the  .  EngUah  channel 
naked  and  without  aid  of  any  kind,  on 
^hiob     occasion  he  waa  in  tbo  water 

from  1  P.  M.  to  "*;M  J''«?«^^'^t^: 
When  he  waa  dragged  out  of  the  water 
at  the  close  of  thia  exploit  he  was  pre- 
aented  with  $25,000  by.  the  Pnnoe  of 
Walea.    On   one    oooaaioa    he     awam 


^^1 

1^  -~; ;  1 


_;  ; 


*'■■■     v    iv.^ 


;»    ■.    .  ;■          :::•.■-*  ,v.'>''-:»'^,    .r  ■ .  :   '    *>■  --M,        ■   /'i^^i-^.'- »■^.'■^•.. 

■     ■  '    -     /'     '"■<■'  "  ■  -  '■■■      '■:  \  ■  ;"  •'        -A  :'  ';.■■'  ■• 

■■•''■■           ,-■■,■■■'■  \  ■■   . 

■■:-■■.  :  y       ,    M    ■■    ■  ■  .  .:■•    .r    .■..:;■/:.-'■■"•'.• 

p    f 

■■:■■'  ^^                   ■          .  ^  ■      .  :   ,.  ^■.    .  • '      >■       "  .  '     ,    . 

'■;.■-■•         ^                        .                       ■■■■■..           .  V.I            •»      ■                                                    f 

f 

.  « 

vm  ^  ■■'■■•■■    . 


.^^•■^^■•;-" 


/  ^ 


r<.. 


2  ■»"'■»• 


m 


■   \v      J    '  "   " 


-^ 


.•'^:-, 


i'-i 


130. 


Bnt  be  found  the  water  rongher  than  he 
hud  antioipated.  And  to  the  public  eye 
it  was  Bimply  luck  aud  nhonoe  that  the 
voyage  termiuated  so  fortunately.  as 
au  instance  of  the  ooolneHS  of  Mr. 
Bobinson  during  this  hasty  trip,  we 
would  simply  say,  that,  \^hen  Mr  Molu- 
tyre  was  thrown  against  the  wheel 
house,  for  some  reaG<^n  or  othur  he  was 
unable  to  arise,  so  Mr.  Bobinson  put 
hi3  foot  gently  on  his  breast  to  keop 
him  from  rolling  to  and  fro  and  thus 
held  him  until  the  cud  of  the  journey. 
This  trip  had  a  decided  effect  upon  Mr. 
Bobinoon,  and  some  attribute  his  death 
to  this  cause,  but  this  is  not  true,  for  the 
disease  which  terminated  his  life  was 
oontraoted  at  New  Orleans  some  time 
after.  - 

V''^  '     ;;,™"-- -  ♦—- — .  ■ 

:   M  J°®^  R.  Robinson, 


Joel  E.  Bobinson  was  born  in  Spring- 
field, Mass.,  on  the  27th  day  of  Heptem- 
ber,  1808,  and  at  an  early  date  came  to 
Niagara  Falls,  which  place  he  made  his 
home  until  bin  death.  As  a  na^  igator 
of  the  rapids  he  had  no  equal,  and 
whenever  it  became  neoesfiary  to  rescue 
a  human  being  from  the  juN^s  of  those 
fearful  waters,  Bobinson  was  always 
ready  w  render  all  the  aid  in  his 
power. 

In  the  summer  of  1838,  while  some 
reiKkirH  were  being  made  on  the  bridge 
leading  from  the  main  shore  to  Bath 
Island,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Chapin 
fell  from  the  bridge  aud  lodged  on  a 


,-p:^- 


-..^,.   , 


-Xifiy 


ir  than  ho 
ublio  eye 

that  the 

ely.      'xn 

of   Mr. 

trip,  we 
Vli-  Molu- 
16  >(heel 
sr  he  was 
nson  put 

to  keop 
aud  thua 

journey, 
npon  Mr. 
hie  death 
ne,  for  the 

life  was 
ome  time 


ion. 


in  Spring- 
f  Heptem- 
I  came  to 
I  made  his 

na\  jgator 
luai,    and 

to  resono 
I  of  those 
as  always 
id   in  his 

hile  some 
tie  bridge 
3  to  Bath 
:>t  Chapin 
iged  on  a 


rW 


• 


«w««s!D?' «*;;:.!&''- 


131. 


small  island  below.  This  iuland  which 
is  hardly  more  than  30  feet  square  is 
covered  with  a  few  overgreeu  trees  and 
bears  his  name,  who,  iu  oil  probability  , 
was  its  first  occupant.  All  eyes  weru 
turned  ou  Robiusou,  as  the  only  one 
who  could  rescue  the  man  from  his  per- 
ilous position.  Robiusou  lattuched  his 
boat  from  the  foot  of  Bath  Island,  pick- 
iug  his  wuy  skillfully  ui'd  cautiously 
thr(>u<<b  the  rapids  to  the  little  island, 
took  Ohapin  aud  brought  him  safely  to 
shore. 

The  next  instance  we  have  of  saving 
life  we  copy  from  tho  work  of  G.  W. 
Hivwley  :.  "In  the  wummer  of  1641 ,  a  Mr. 
Allen  started  for  Chippawa  iu  a  boat, 
just  before  sunset.  Beiug  auxious  to 
get  across  before  dark,  ha  applied 
his  oars  with  such  vigor  that  one  of 
them  was  broken  when  he  was  about 
opposite  the  middle  Sister.  With  the 
remaining  oar  he  tried  to  reach  the 
head  of  Goat  Island.  The  crrre'it, 
however,  set  too  strongly  towards  v„e 
great  Canadian  Hapids  and  liis  only 
nope  was  to  reach  the  outer  Bister. 
Neariug  this  and  not  beiug  able  to  run 
his  boat  ou  it,  he  sprang  out,  aud,  beiug 
a  good  swimmer,  by  a  vigorous  effort 
succeeded  in  getting  on  it.  Certain  of 
having  a  lonely,  if  not  a  quit«  unpleas- 
ant night,  and  being  the  fortunate  pos- 
sessor of  two  stray  matches,  hi  lighted 
a  fire  aud  solaced  himself  with  bis 
thoughts  and  his  pipe.  Next  morning, 
takiug  oh' bis  red  dannel  sbirt,  he  raised 
a  signal  of  distresR.  Towards  noon  the 
nnusutl  smoke  and  red  flag  attracted 
att<:iition.  The  situation  whs  soon  as- 
certained and  BobiuKou  informed  of  it. 
Not    loug    after    a    little     led     siiiff 


\nm  carried  aoross  Ooat  Island  aud 
Itiitn'^hed  ia  the  obauaei  inst  below 
Mors  Islands.  Sobinson  then  pulled 
himself  across  to  the  middle  Uister  and 
tried  in  vaiu  to  find  a  point  where  he 
oouid  cross  to  the  outer  one. 
Api>roaohin<;  darkness  aompelled  him 
to  suspeud  operations.  He  rowed  back 
toQcwtlal-  id,  procured  some  refresh- 
inentb  rci  ri  -^  to  the  middle  Sister, 
threw  iJid.  ,^.jea  to  APen  and  then 
left  him  to  his  second  night's  solitude. 
The  next  day  Bobiuson  took  with  him 
two  lou^,  light,  but  strouKoords,  with  a 
properly  shapod  piece  of  lead  weighing 
about  a  pound.  Tying  the  lead  to  one 
of  the  Hues  he  threw  it  across  to  Allen. 
He  then  fastened  the  other  end  of  Al- 
len^ line  to  the  bow  of  the  skiff;  and 
atlaohtug  his  own  cord  to  the  boat  also, 
he  shoved  it  ofi.  Allen  drew  it  too  him- 
self, uot  into  it,  pushed  off,  and  Robin- 
son drew  him  to  where  he  stood  on  the 
middle  island.  Then  seating  Allen  in 
the  stern  of  the  skiff  he  returned  aoioss 
thb  rapids  to  Goat  Island,  where  both 
were  assisted  up  the  bank  by  the  spec- 
tators, aud  the  little  craft,  too,  which 
soemed  almost  as  much  of  a  hero  aud  as 
great  a  favorite  with  t^»  3rowd  as  Bob- 
mson  himself." 

This  wiis  the  sec  '' 

ed  by  BobiuKon  tta 
been   oonsulered   »( 
It  is  no  exagi^eration  ^' 
was  not  another  man  on 


i^Mt^idnal  resou- 

yr  %  which  had 

I  accessible. 

^nat  there 

globe  that 


could  have  saved  Chapin  and  Allen  as 
he  did.  His  laurels  as  "  Navigator  of 
the  ilapids"  can  never  fade  or  decay. 
They  are  made  iiereuial  by  the  gener- 
ous motives  and  humane  acta  throngh 
which  they  were  won. 
Juol  B.  Bobinson  died  Juno  30, 1863. 


if 


'!k 


msass^T-'msisitmiii 


133. 


Island  aud 

mat  belor 

then  palled 

e  Uistur  and 

it  where  he 

outer     one. 

npelled  him 

rowud  back 

ome  refresh- 

iddle  Sister, 

en  aud  then 

It's  solitude. 

:)k  with  him 

oordH,  with  a 

;ad  wei<j;hiug 

e  lead  to  one 

'08B  to  Allen. 

)r  end  of  AU 

he  skiff;   and 

the  boat  also, 

ew  it  too  him- 

r,  aud  Robin- 

stood  on  the 

ting  Allen  in 

ituruod  aokoss 

,   where   both 

by  the  speo- 

t,  too,  which 

a  hero  and  as 

rowd  as  Bob- 

'^idnal  resou- 

8  which  had 

i  accessible. 

^hut  there 

flobe  that 
Allen  as 
'  Navigator  of 
ftde  or  decay. 
)y  the  geuer- 
acts  through 

Juno  30,  1863. 


Index. 


Pave. 

The  Niagara  Biver 3 

The  Griffin 4 

The  Old  Stone  Chimney 6 

The  Campaign  of  1759 9 

Indian  Strategy lo 

Dc  dl's  Hole  Massacre 12 

Tusoarora  Refwrvation ,„ 14 

The  War  of  1812 16 

The  Surrender  of  Hull 17 

A  Naval  EuKacemeut 18 

The  battle  of  Queenston  Heighta 20 

Capture  of  Fort  George 30 

Battle  of  Stony  Creek 35 

Heroine  Laura  Seoord 38 

A  (}eneral  Campaign 42 

British  Cross  the  Border 46 

Perry  on  Lake  Erie 47 

American  Citizens  Impressed 48 

The  Army  Disciplined 52 

Capture  of  Fort  Erie 55 

The  Battle  of  Chippawa.... 55 

Battle  of  Luudy's  Lane 61 

Drunimoud  at  Fort  Erie 71 

Sortitt  from  Fort  E''z 73 

Resume 75 

Burning  of  the  Caroline 76 

The  Hermit  of  Niagara 84 

Avery  on  the  Log H 

Pierce's  Novel  Brigade 106 

An  Indian  Adventure 1(M 

A  Narrow  Escape 110> 

Capt.  Webb's  Last  Swim 112' 

The  "Old"  Suspension  Bridge 117 

Cantilever  Bridge , 122 

Now  Suspension  Bridge 134 

Ltiwistou  Bndfre 126 

Maid  of  the  Mist 127 

Joel  11.  Bobiuson ISO 


m 


:' ISSSSSSSCS 


II 


rl 


^B^M 


To   Sportsmen. 

Persons  wishing  for ->;     c; 

A  Good  Day's ,  Sport 

Cannot  do  better  than  t«ko  a  trip  to  the 
ancient  and  bcauUful  village  of 

•  LEWIST0N# 

situated  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  low- 
er Niagara,  where 

Fish  are  in  Abundance. 

And  the  facilities  for  oatchtntic  are 
ample  and  convenient.  There  are  no 
dangerous  rapids  t«  bo  drawn  Into  and 
hurried  over  a  mighty  fall  while  Ash- 
ing, but  the  stream  is  placid  and  still. 

Boatfs  and  All  KlndH  of  FiHliiusT 
Tackle  cau  be  Obtained 


-  AT  THE  ■ 


giilEHICim  HOTEL, 

An  old  and  well  established  house. 

H.  G.  Cornell,  Prop,, 


Wlil  spare  no  pains  to  please  all  who' 
give  hiiu  a  mil. 


mssssssssBs& 


len. 


SDort 

tp  to  the 

f 

)N* 

on  the  loir« 

dance. 

tntr  are 
•o  are  no 
Into  and 
hilo  ash- 
uid  BtiU. 

r  FiHbiner 


ITEL, 

house. 

Pro0., 


all  who 


'ita  y>> 


Wilson 


♦*»»\'»»»» 


Has  booomc  one  oi  the 

most  Fams  SflmiDeF  Resorts 

On  JLake  Ontario. 

sataBE 

Not  only  does  Lake  Island  Park  draw  Its 
Uioiiaands  almost  daily,  but  manyoome 
to  spend  the  suinnier. 

Tbe  Faeilities  for  Boatiog,  Batblng  and 
Flsbing  are  Unsurpassed, 

And  all  who  wish  to  enjoy  the  comforts  of  a 
homo  while  engOKed  In  those  sports  can 
do  so  at  the 


I 


Which  Is  oonvcnleni;;'-' located. 

The  House  is  Entirely  New 

And  was  built  especially  for  the  oonvon- 
venlenoo  of  tourists.     It  has  many 
rooms   with   all  modern  Im- 
provementa,  and  its  ge- 
nial  proprietor. 


will  do  ftlUn  his  powor  to  nieasc  the 
Most  Fastidious. 


i 


%\. 


m 


«ii 


/ 


SL*^ 


W^ 


To  Reel>  posted    "ff  3 


-ON- 


Ttt  Stiiditg  iiciiltiits  o[  me 
•  Hiagani  Fnmtitr  • 

You  ahouM  subscribe  Tor 

me  map  Falls  Journal. 

$1.50  Per  Year. 


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;    .•    .•    .•    .'    Brewing  Go's. 


KtS  Ql  i^e 

utiu  • 


■ibe  for 


ITear. 


.Bogd 

reet, 

I,    N.  Y. 


iTS»      - 


Brewing  Cto'«. 


w«mi 


I 

i 


a, 

li 


^  - 


1^ 


uma 


